


Loving Someone As You Are

by 42Forever



Series: Loving Someone As You Are: Supercorp, Dansen and Their Family & Friends [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Backstory, Because I love Reign!!, Canon-Typical Transphobia, F/F, Flashbacks, Harun-El, I have a lot planned but I also just am super psyched about this, I love them both so, Kryptonian Culture, Les Mis - Freeform, Les Miserables - Freeform, Nonbinary Character, Past Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, Reign Redeemed, Sam and Reign are both my precious cinnamon rolls, Self-Determination, SuperCorp, Trans Girl, Trans Kara Danvers, Trans Representation, Transphobia, Working through your shit, agency, canon-atypical transphobia, fandom talk, gender confirmation surgery, if anything is either not explained or not explained well-enough feel free to ask, les mis fandom - Freeform, musical theatre, musical theatre fandom, nonbinary vasquez, not a fic for Mon-El fans, shipping talk, so please ask questions if you're interested, this is a what I like to call Reign redeemed fic, trans Kara Zor-El, trans Supergirl, trans feels, trans rep, trans woman, transgender representation, transphobic motivated violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:20:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27846734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/42Forever/pseuds/42Forever
Summary: The premise of this story centres around two major conceits or changes from canon (for the most part? canon is staying the same) - one that Reign is redeemed! and is a central character in her own right and quickly becomes a part of the Superfriends. Also, Kara is a trans woman.I’m not sure how long this will be. I’m not thinking this story will be super long, but we’ll see.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kelly Olsen, Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Querl Dox/Nia Nal
Series: Loving Someone As You Are: Supercorp, Dansen and Their Family & Friends [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2072346
Comments: 18
Kudos: 33





	1. I. Beginnings: Part 1: Coming Out

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! If you at all have checked out my other stories, don’t worry I do intend to get back to them - just not sure when exactly. 
> 
> Plus! I got *this* idea, that I’m super psyched about…so!!
> 
> A bit of necessary Kryptonese glossary:
> 
> * raozhium = teacher  
> * ie = sister  
> * kryptahniuo = Kryptonese  
> * shehdirstun = transgender (a compound word of my own creation)
> 
> Also, there is reference made to the Girod - for those who don’t know that’s the Kryptonian set of 11 core virtues.

Kara Zor-El flew in the air beside her compatriot, Reign.

This was new – flying _together_ – but her rampage of mayhem had been some time ago now, she and Sam shared the body they had with ease, and soon, the idea was, to introduce Reign to the world as a new crimefighter – a part of National City’s cadre of crimefighters.

They had been out for a bit, and so Kara brought the pair to a stop on L-Corp’s roof.

Upon landing, Kara turned to Reign and gave her a loving hug.

Reign accepted the hug stiffly, though Kara knew to expect that.

“Thank you, Reign.”

“You’re-you’re welcome, raozhium… But why are you thanking me?”

Kara sat there beside the former Worldkiller, contemplatively.

“You’ve given me…greater purpose, I feel. It is simply so nice to be able to be myself – be Kryptonian, with a fellow Kryptonian… I feel like when I’m with you I can feel more in touch with part of who I am…

So – thank you.” Kara stopped and smiled, looking over to Reign.

Reign, someone still struggling with knowing what to do with her emotions, simply nodded.

After a moment, she asked, “What about Kal-El?”

Kara’s face turned funny and she grew awkward.

“Kal-El is…too human… He spent his whole life really, growing up and everything, here on Earth. He’s not really connected to his Kryptonian side.”

“Plus,” she added quieter, “he and I only sorta get along…”

They sat there in silence for a moment then.

“Thank you, then,” Reign quietly said.

“And you know…” Kara continued quietly, “I did want to share something with you…something about me…

I mean, I don’t need to tell you, it’s just well, I want us to be close…? Like, Alex is like, my Earth sister, and you can be, like, my Kryptonian “sister.” And I mean, I know we aren’t actually sisters by blood, but…I don’t know…we could be _close_ like sisters?”

Her ramble trailed off as she looked questioningly towards Reign.

Reign looked at her as a small smile began to form on her face.

“Yes… _ie_ …I like the sound of that…” Reign responded.

Kara smiled back.

She was hoping this would go well. What she was about to disclose hadn’t always been well-received by other people…

Of course, it wasn’t something she disclosed all that often, but that did make the times it had gone _wrong_ , all that much more…memorable…in her mind.

“Well,” Kara began to explain, “you know how when we first met, even though you knew about Krypton and Kryptonians and such, you were confused as to who I was?

You knew I was Kryptonian, but couldn’t place, couldn’t understand who I was…?”

Reign simply nodded, not understanding where her, “sister” was going with this.

“Well, think back, think about the children of Zor-El and Alura In-Ze…”

Reign responded robotically, “They had one child, a boy, named –”

Kara cut her off with a finger to cover her mouth.

“That’s only partly true…

That child that you understood, were programmed to understand, was a boy…well, isn’t.

That child is me.”  
  
After a pause, Kara went on, “In English the word for someone like me, is transgender. I’m a transgender, or trans, woman.”

Reign was on the precipice of understanding. She had the puzzle pieces, and they were so close to fitting…

“And in… kryptahniuo?”

Kara paused for a moment.

Having left Krypton at 13, and with the type of haughty society that Krypton was, Kara didn’t arrive on Earth with even a Kryptonian understanding of transness and associated terminology. Eventually after much digging, particularly in the Fortress with the help of one of the Kelexes there, she uncovered some information that had been hidden from both her and Kal-El.

There were, she learned, trans people on Krypton, though their lives were never their own. Being trans, on Krypton, she had learned, was not anything to find pride, or even in a sense acceptance from. It simply was. If you were trans, preserving secrecy surrounding that fact was paramount to one’s life. In fact, the Council would, in speaking to trans folks, tie the importance of maintaining one’s transness a secret, to the Girod.

Kara sighed.

Here was the moment, she thought – how would Reign react?

“Shehdirstun,” Kara finally responded, quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Inside Reign’s head, Sam had been a flurry of emotions.

As soon as Kara had said, “That child is me,” and definitely by the time Kara had used the word, in English, transgender, Sam had put the pieces together.

_“Hug her, Reign! Come on!_

_I know you don’t do hugs, but trust me, what she has just said is important and your support will mean a lot to her…”_

On and on Sam went in the background of Reign’s head while Reign continued to try to focus on what _Kara_ was saying.

“…Shehdirstun.”

And in that moment, everything did click for Reign and she leapt forward and gave her sister a hug.

Kara, though quite caught off guard, warmly accepted it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they sat there in the hug, Kara felt a wave of relief wash over her, at the acceptance she found from Reign.

Eventually and slowly, they pulled apart.

Reign then spoke, “Thank you for telling me. I am not aware of how life is for shehdirstun people here, but I am aware that on Krypton, it was held as a secret.

I also understand that that would be difficult to keep.

So, thank you for sharing that part of you, with me.”

Reign then made an odd noise, a noise that Kara would later surmise was her attempt at a laugh.

“I’m sorry, I’m just still getting used to having Samantha’s active interruptions.”

And then her face appeared to bear a frown (or at least Kara thought it was a frown, it looked similar to Reign’s normal, resting face, too…)

“I am gathering that things are perhaps much worse for shehdirstun here on Earth…”

(Yeah, no, Kara thought, that’s a frown.)

Kara smiled softly. “Yeah, that’s true, I’d say. There’s a lot of discrimination and violence and stuff here against trans folks…”

Reign then turned serious, “Have there been people who dared do so against you, Kara Zor-El?”

“Well, um, yeah, I’ve had my fair share of discrimination and violence, well thanks to my powers, not too much physical violence, but definitely, I guess, emotional violence…”

“Tell me these people’s names and locations and I will seek vengeance against them for you!”

Kara, suddenly mortified, tried to calm Reign down.  
“Reign, Reign, no, it’s fine. This is just life, ok? There are bad people everywhere and people will have bad experiences from time to time in life, ok?”

Reign, with not only the help of Kara, but especially Sam, calmed down.

“Alright. But at a moment’s notice – when such an incident occurs again – simply alert me and I will be at your aid.”

Kara simply nodded.

They sat there again for a moment, before something occurred to Kara, and so she spoke up, somewhat worriedly, “Wait, Reign…Sam’s in there, too, right? So, she knows what I shared with you…?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside Reign’s head, Sam was freaking out.

Of course, Kara was right, Sam knew now that Kara was trans.

_“Fuck fuck fuck fuck…”_

She really wasn’t sure what to do. She didn’t want Kara, a Kryptonian, mad at her…

At the same time, she also didn’t like the prospect of hiding this secret for Kara. Not that she wanted to broadcast it to the anyone and everyone, but she just, well, didn’t like keeping secrets, especially from those she cared about.

And meanwhile Reign was internally laughing at Sam. (Which, you know, Sam thought, is not helping!)

_“Samantha, I’m sure everything will be alright._

_Please come forward and speak with her yourself.”_

_“Reign, NO! That’s the exact opposite of what I want to do!_

_Plus, you know how afraid of heights I am!”_

That just got Reign laughing again.

_“Listen, Samantha, I will get Kara to move back from the ledge, but really you should speak to her – also do not fear – I will protect you if she tries to attack you – which she will not.”_

Sam sighed.

_“Fine.”_

During all this, Kara had stayed quiet, but had been staring intently at Reign, especially her face, where it appeared there was a flurry of activity going on.

Reign came back to “the world,” and looked to Kara and said, “Sorry about that. I am trying to get Samantha to come forward so you can speak to her properly. Unfortunately, she was being stubborn.

How about we move away from the ledge, for Samantha’s sake, and then you two can talk?”

Kara nodded dumbly.

She was frankly still a bit in awe and miffed by the ease and simplicity by which the two beings who shared the body before her would switch places.

Remembering what Reign had also just asked, Kara began to move back a way, closer to the centre of the roof.

Reign followed, and they both sat back down.

Kara looked back over to Reign, except it wasn’t she, who she found beside her anymore, but Sam Arias.

Sam Arias looking like a wounded puppy.

Sam Arias looking like, well, she was afraid she was about to be offed by a Kryptonian.

And so that made two, worried and fretful individuals sitting there on the roof of L-Corp.

Kara finally spoke, “Um, Sam, are you ok…?”

Remembering that Reign had cited Sam’s “stubbornness,” she added, “Did you-did you not want to talk to me? Why?”

Before Sam could even try to answer, Kara began to send herself down an anxiety-provoked rabbit hole.

_“Why would Sam not want to speak to me?_

_I mean, she just found out I’m trans – gosh – is she transphobic?_

_Wouldn’t that be something! Reign accepting and Sam not…_

_But still…_

_And then there’s Ruby… What if Ruby grows up to be transphobic, too?_

_What if she already is??_

Finally, Kara’s frantic train of thought was interrupted by Sam finally speaking up – “Um…well, yeah, I _didn’t_ want to talk to you…”

“I’m so stupid,” she muttered quietly, but not too quietly for the Kryptonian beside her to pick up.

Suddenly, her eyes grew wide (in response to something Reign said to her), and she looked to Kara even more worried and freaked out than she had already been.

“Oh! Kara! I should say, my worry is not because I’m transphobic or am not accepting that you’re trans!

It’s not like that.

It’s something else…something more selfish…”

Kara looked at her, eyes softer now, ready to hear her out.

“As I say, it’s-it’s stupid…

I just – well, I’m assuming you’ll want me to keep this a secret, and I just don’t like the idea of keeping secrets from my loved ones…I mean, I’m already keeping your Super-secret…”

She sighed and continued before Kara could respond.

“But I mean, I _get_ it. They’re both important, and parts of who _you_ are, and so _you_ should be the one to tell people, to disclose them…I get it, I do…”

Sam stopped and sighed heavily.

Kara sighed in turn, though not as moodily, and then let out a small chuckle.

“Well, I didn’t really intend on telling you, Sam, or at least not right now, but I am glad that you are accepting.

And even that you understand the importance of keeping these secrets.

Because, yeah, I do – I do want you to do that – to keep this a secret.”

She paused, reflecting some on the evening, “I guess I really should remember for the future how tied together you and Reign are…”

Sam looked to Kara, a sorry expression on her face. “Yeah, sorry to kind of burst in on your time ‘alone’ with her.”

Kara looked back at her, face full of understanding, “Well, it’s not your fault.”

Sam absentmindedly then checked the time and said, “Well, I – we – I guess, should really get back. Check on Ruby again and then try to get some shut-eye myself.”

Kara nodded; it was getting kind of late.

Suddenly, right before her and Reign were going to switch, a thought came to Sam.

“Oh, Kara! Who else _does_ know?”

Kara turned sheepish, “Well, yeah, um, not many. Eliza – my adoptive mother, Alex, um, Superman…” She began to trail off, but did add, “…well, and this one Daxamite guy, too.”

After some _words_ were uttered by Reign, Sam told Kara, “Well, thanks. And…um…I think Reign will apparently want to talk to you later about this Dax-am-ite fellow.”

(She pronounced the foreign word slowly and oddly.)

Kara simply nodded, and soon watched as, having switched places, Reign took off to the skies.

Not too long later, Kara herself flew home for the night.


	2. I. Beginnings: Part 2: Flashbacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We witness numerous “flashbacks” through different times in Kara’s life, focusing on her gender journey and relationship to her transness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy and Happy Holidays folks! Super excited to be back and sharing Chapter 2 with y’all!
> 
> This has been really fun to write and I may even do another chapter of “flashbacks” later on, too.
> 
> As I used a lot of Kryptonese in this chapter, including some fully constructed sentences, I tried to integrate the translations into the Chapter, and forego a glossary here.
> 
> ***Trigger warning*** for transphobia including a brief description of transphobia-motivated assault.
> 
> If you would like to skip the "worst" of the transphobia described, I've added more line breaks around this section, and added 3 stars in between to delineate the section that you can skip if you so choose. The only thing you really miss aside from the violence is that he leaves Kara's, and Kara goes to Alex.

_1 Week after Supergirl is Revealed to National City and the World…_

Kara cautiously moves into the abandoned warehouse where she had heard Alex, from the skies above.

She sees Alex lying on the floor awkwardly, obviously injured.

She automatically calls out, “Alex!”

“No! Get out of here, it’s a trap.” Alex yells back at her sister.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere a figure emerges and sends Kara into the far wall.

As Kara looks up towards the figure, the figure speaks, “Who _are_ you?”

Astra, her aunt, as Kara realised who this was, begins to approach, still speaking, “I know you come from Krypton – somehow you escaped, too – but again I must ask, _who_ are you?”

The figure stopped, staring intently at Kara – “You look so familiar…”

Meanwhile Kara was freaking out. On multiple levels.

She had clued in quickly that, well, somehow this was her Aunt Astra, but well, that was just it…

Somehow…

 _How_ was her aunt here? Didn’t she die along with everyone else (except for Kal-El) on Krypton? That was certainly what she had understood had happened.

But of course, the other pressing issue in that moment, was the fact that her aunt didn’t recognise her, or, well, not fully.

Of course, Kara knew why.

Her aunt had known her under a different name and thought of her then, well, not as _her_.

But again, that brought her back to now, and her list of questions and problems.

First, she didn’t want to be fighting her aunt.

Second how was her aunt alive?

Third, how was she going to explain her being trans to her aunt?

She looked back at her aunt and sighed.

Her aunt grew impatient.

“Answer me! I am General Astra In-Ze of Krypton! You now know my name and title – and surely must understand the power they hold… _Who are you?_ ”

“General…I am your niece.”

“I have no nieces! Speak plainly and truthfully – my patience wears thin.”

“Khap nahn shehdirstun.

_(I am transgender.)_

I am the daughter of Alura and Zor-El, Aunt Astra,” she finished speaking with pride and spite evident in her tone.

Astra stood there in shock, but only briefly before bitterly throwing back, “Udolzrhygahs! Rrip udolives ath threvzeht!”

_(Abomination! You sin against your House!)_

“Zha, Ynugh Azjruh! Khap nahn rrov khap nahn!” Kara threw back.

_(No, Aunt Astra! I am who I am!)_

“Rrip nahn _zhad_!” Astra sent back, this time with such venom and finality, that Alex, painful as it was, got up.

 _(You are_ nothing _!)_

“Alright! As much fun as it is to watch this family reunion, I believe we have a prisoner to capture, Supergirl?”

“Right!” She turned back around though, to find Astra having left, leaving only a gust a wind in her wake.

When they got back to the DEO, Hank (yet to be known as J’onn), had questions upon questions for them over what had happened.

Thankfully Alex, agreed to Kara to continue to keep “Hank” in the dark regarding Kara’s transness.

Though “Hank” was left stymied as to what had taken them so long in the warehouse, he eventually let them both leave for the night.

Eventually as trust built up and more information and identities were revealed, J’onn would know what had happened that night and would know of Kara’s transness – and still trust – that Kara was Kara and that that was all that truly mattered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_About a year and a half after Kara Zor-El was brought to the Danvers…_

Alex and her new Kryptonian sibling did not get along for some time, initially.

Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers continued to try to get the two of them or even all four of them to bond together, but to no avail.

One day though, things changed for those two kids.

There must have been – something in the air, perhaps – for a day or two earlier, things quite likely would have unfolded differently.

The child from Krypton left the bathroom and went back into the room shared with Alex, all as tears streamed down her face.

Alex sighed dramatically.

“Ok, kid, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

That had been one of the first words she’d learned from Alex. 

“Ok, now I know something’s wrong. What’s up?”

“I was talking to Kal-El…”

“Superman? Did he do something?”

“I was just trying to tell him…well…about me…I think in English the word is transgender…and well…he didn’t like that…he didn’t think I could know that…”

Alex came close and just swept up her Kryptonian sibling – sister? – perhaps, she thought.

As they were sharing the hug, the phone that had been left on the floor beside the two of them began to ring.

The Kryptonian of the two picked it up and answered.

_“Hey sweetie, it’s Lois.”_

“Oh. Hi Lois.”

Alex looked at her sister with her eyebrows raised, ready to take over the phone call if it became too much for the Kryptonian kid.

_“I just wanted to apologise for Clark. As you know, he was raised here on Earth, and well, specifically in middle-of-nowhere_ Kansas _, so please forgive his bad reaction.”_

She paused for a moment.

_“I’m very happy for you that even in this new world and everything that you’re exploring and finding who you are._

_You should be aware though, that sadly there are_ a lot _of people who not only would their first reaction be like Clark’s, but that that is simply what they would say and believe.”_

She paused briefly again.

_“Have you got a different name picked out for yourself?”_ she asked with such kindness and grace.

At that, the Kryptonian girl (for that’s who she was) smiled. Why, yes, she did have a new, _better_ name picked out…

“Kara.”

_“Well, Kara, rest assured that Clark will be sleeping on the couch for the next week. I’m very happy that you are finding these things out about yourself, and y’know – I love that name for you._

_If there is anything else you need from us – just give us a shout, ok?”_

Just as Lois was about to hang up the phone, the young girl in Midvale spoke up breathily (she was still quite nervous though less than she had been), “Lois?”

_“Yes?”_

“Do you think Clark would mind if I had access to the Fortress and the Kelex there?”

Lois paused for a moment. She thought about checking with Clark, but she decided, “to heck with it,” and told Kara, “ _I don’t think that’ll be a problem. At all._

_And if it is – don’t forget I’ve got your back.”_

Kara closed her eyes then, overcome with gratitude for Lois.

“Thank you, Lois. Thank you so much.”

_“Bye for now, dear.”_

Kara put down the phone and looked up at Alex’s questioning eyes.

“That was Lois.”  
She smiled.

“I like her – she’s nice.”

Alex smiled back.

“I’m glad.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_About two and a half years after Kara Zor-El was brought to the Danvers…_

“Now, Clark is going to be there with you, right?”

“Yes, _Mom_! We’ve gone over this,” Alex retorted.

Eliza sighed.

“Ok…well, make sure you’re warm enough.”

“Well, I’m already sweating, so, I think I’ll be fine in the Arctic.”

Eliza turned her attention fully to the alien of her two daughters.

“Well, you best get going before I change my mind.”

And pretty soon, the young Kryptonian was off in the sky carefully carrying Alex in her arms.

Of course, Clark _wasn’t_ going to be there. They just hoped that there would be no need for Eliza to double check that aspect of their story. Though Lois “had Kara’s back,” she wasn’t sure just how far that went.

In any case, they got to the Fortress of Solitude, Kara let them in, and they got settled.

“Hi Kelex!”

“Hi Lady Kara,” Kelex responded, bringing a bright smile to the girl’s face.

Even with what she deemed a “too deep” and “un-feminine” voice, she loved that Clark had set Kelex up for her this way.

Thus, began the first of _many_ semi-sanctioned trips to the Fortress for Alex and Kara.

And they weren’t just hanging out or whatnot – they were there with a purpose.

Kara had been determined, for some time even before their first trip up together, about the prospect of solving the mystery of taking hormones while being a Kryptonian (under a yellow sun).

It took time, years in fact, and eventually even some help from Clark, but after quite some time of utilising her extensive science and bioengineering know-how, and having Alex as her assistant, she had come up with something that she not only felt safe taking, but comfortable with the notion of it achieving the desired effects.

She did however have to concede that the formula that she had concocted would work at about half the pace of the typical regimen of HRT for human trans women.

Eventually, Eliza was made aware of the project.

And so, it was with her blessing that Kara started taking her hormones.

That day was a special occasion. Not only were Alex and Eliza there but Lois and Clark joined them, too.

All this happened a few years before she left home for National City.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_About a year and a half after Kara becomes Supergirl…_

They had, earlier that year, found Mon-El in a Kryptonian pod that had crash-landed in National City. Once they learned even just a little bit about him, Kara really attached herself to him.

She was just so overjoyed to find someone else, though not from Krypton, still from the same system, especially as she was still not on the best of terms with Kal-El, and they had yet to find Argo and Alura. 

Pretty soon, they started dating. Kara had giddily told Alex that day, when she had said “yes,” to him for a date.

In retrospect, Kara would say that she was so overwhelmed and giddy with excitement at the prospect of being with someone…well, like her.

Unfortunately, she had forgotten about another one of the aspects of…well, _her_ …one that he ended up rejecting.

She should have known, she would also later tell herself, that Mon-El might be transphobic, because well, transness wasn’t widely accepted on Krypton, let alone _Daxam_.

Of course, she would tell herself this and more, later.

Alex found out what happened, that evening, when she heard a loud, “FUCK!” that definitely didn’t come from her partner at the time, Maggie. In fact, it had sounded like it came from her sister and from the direction of her living room window.

Alex quickly realised she’d left that window closed, as she went to it, opened it, and let her teary-eyed, super-suited sister into the loft.

Of course, Alex immediately knew something was the matter. Not only was her sister’s arrival at her window, so late at night, and unplanned, but she found her sister’s face red and teary. And of course, on top of those, had been the alarming to Alex, curse word that her sister had uttered.

She let her sister in, and then went to tell Maggie that, sadly, any further nighttime activities between them appeared to likely be cancelled for the night.

She went back to the living room to nervously tell her sister that Maggie was actually there, and so, with as small an apartment as Alex had, she decided to ask Kara if she would prefer that Maggie left.

Though Alex was kind of sad at the interruption, she had the feeling this was not going to be the type of conversation Kara would want Maggie being around for or able to eavesdrop in on.

Alex’s hunch was right, and so Maggie left, and then Alex grabbed a couple tubs of ice cream from the freezer before settling on the couch with her sister.

“So, Kara what’s going on?”

Before the Kryptonian could begin her tale, a light went off for Alex in her head…

“Wait, weren’t you with Mon-El this evening?” Her eyes narrowed, “Did he do something to you?”

It was then that fresh tears began to flow from Kara’s eyes.

And so, Alex simply held her sister close, and waited for a reprieve from the tears, feeling that whatever had happened she was going to need to make a certain Daxamite pay for it.

Eventually, Kara composed herself enough to share, with a few heavy sobs still present here and there.

“Oh, Alex.

So, yeah, Mon-El was over at my place tonight.

I know you’ve talked about him seeming like a jerk to you, being insensitive and such…

Well, tonight I was kind of able to see it.

Maybe it was my mood or something…I don’t know…”

She takes a deep breath and lets it out.

“Well…” she looks up, nervously, at Alex before continuing. “Tonight…hewantedtohavesexwithme…”

Alex looked at her sister for a second. Any other time she would have laughed at her classic-Kara Danvers nervous tic, but now was not the time for laughter. She held in her laugh and seriously responded, “Stay with me, Kara. I get that you’re nervous, but – what was that?”

Kara looked down still, feeling ashamed of, well, everything that had transpired at her apartment that evening.

“Tonight, he wanted to have sex with me.”

Alex, having a feeling that she could see where this was going, sighed and said, “Oh, Kara,” holding her sister close.

Alex was pretty sure (not certain, but pretty sure) that Mon-El wasn’t the type to be violent or anything of the sort, and she knew that both Mon-El and her sister seemed to, at least, have feelings for each other… And so, well, she was _pretty sure_ this had to with her sister from the stars being transgender.

But, she thought, she was getting ahead of herself…she didn’t _really know_ what had happened yet.

“Well,” Kara continued, “we were kissing, and he started trying to, well, touch me in _other places_. Before he could move his hand, well, too low, I pulled away, and tried to…tried to tell him that I’m trans.”

Alex steadied herself. She really didn’t want to hear about her sister being intimate and such, but she knew her sister needed her support in this moment.

“He was very impatient, and well, I was struggling to explain… Eventually, while he was pacing the floor, I quietly said, ‘I’m trans.’

He didn’t seem to understand though.

I tried to use the Kryptonese phrase for transness, too, but that didn’t seem to help.

If only I had learned Daxamese.”

She sighed softly before continuing.

“So…finally I just tried to explain it in very frank terms… I was still doing so slower than he liked though…”

Some more tears came down as she considered the next part of what had happened.

“Well, then he got very aggressive and began…like, interrogating me…

‘Are you a boy or a girl?’

As I was slow to respond, he tried in Kryptonese, ‘Odhyv da edhyv?’

Slowly, I said, ‘Mon-El, I’m a girl, but…’

He didn’t like that.”

Kara stared down at the floor.

Slowly, with a blank gaze to her eyes, she looked back to Alex, and said, “He began referring to me as ‘w.’

_(pronounced wə)_

Do you know what that means, Alex?”

Alex shook her head, no.

“It refers to an inanimate object, except, well, like when I was a kid, well, you’d use it as an insult to basically mean that someone was…nothing. Useless. Worthless."

***

"And well, he…it was like he ‘got it’ I guess…sort of…

He was yelling at me in his broken Kryptonese, ‘Pahkskil!’ or in English, well, I think he was trying to say, ‘Show me,’ or ‘Prove it to me,’ basically.”

“Anyway,” she picked back up in the most dejected tone.

“Even as I was backing away from him, he pulled my pants down, yelled, ‘Odhy avsky!’ to me…and then…and then he left…

And then I came here.”

_(Mon-El wasn’t speaking proper Kryptonese here, but he was basically trying to say, “Abomination of a boy!”)_

***

After all that emotion, and just letting it all out, Kara kind of zoned out.

She felt numb and like she was unconsciously trying to suppress all her emotions now.

With what energy she had left, she quietly and slowly added – “Alex, you know, I _thought_ I liked him…I didn’t think I would mind getting…intimate with him, and you know…” (She was back to not wanting to say the word “sex” around her sister.)

Alex stayed with her that evening.

She continued to listen as needed, and quietly gave appropriate reassurances from time to time.

Eventually Alex drifted to the other sofa but didn’t leave the room that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Early into Kara’s tenure as Supergirl…_

“Kiera!”

“Yes, Ms. Grant!”

“Come here!” And more quietly she added, “And stop ogling my son,” knowing that Kara would still be able to hear her.

Blushing, Kara walked into Cat Grant’s office.

“Now,” she began as she started to move towards the balcony.

“I know you and Adam are getting close and that you have a date tonight.”

She sighed.

“Kiera, I told myself I wouldn’t interfere, but…

You’ve brought me closer to my son and for that I am thankful. Now, I will return the favour and urge you to stay away from him.

I suggest that on your date tonight, you find that your alter ego’s presence is required.”

Cat stopped and looked down, gripping the ledge tightly.

Kara stood there, uncertain frankly at what was going on.

She stammered for a second or two, before getting out, “Ms. Grant, first of all, I’m not sure what you mean by ‘alter ego’ – if this is about –”

“Supergirl” – they said simultaneously.

“I’ve told you before – I’m not her.”

Cat sighed.

“I’m doing this for you, Kiera.

If not Supergirl, find some other distraction or ‘out’ for you for tonight.

Trust me.”

Kara stood there, still somewhat bewildered.

She didn’t realise Cat had such strong feelings against her dating Adam.

Cat turned to look at Kara, tiredly and quietly said, “You pass really well, you know…”

“What was that Ms. Grant,” Kara asked, even though she had heard what was said.

Cat whispered quietly, but with more strength, “Don’t make me repeat myself, Supergirl.”

Kara sighed.

She was feeling a little more confident as to what was going on and where this was going now, but she still wanted to see.

“What did you mean by that, Ms. Grant.”

“Kiera, Kiera, Kiera…I wasn’t born yesterday.

I am aware of transgender people and some of the associated lingo.

I know – as I am sure _you_ know – what passing refers to.”

Kara gulped.

Then joining Ms. Grant at the balcony, she sighed and asked, “How do you know, Ms. Grant?”  
  


“Have you learned nothing working for me?”

Cat looked over at the cityscape in front of her.

“Just, again, for your sake, promise me you won’t…go too far or get too…” Now it was Cat’s turn to gulp, “…personal, with Adam?”

She looked back at Kara.

“Ms. Grant – did something happen between you and Adam?

I thought things were going well?”

“They were – _they are_ – Kiera.”

Ms. Grant straightened up then, deciding the conversation was about done.

“Kiera, I am glad to be in contact with Adam again. Unfortunately, I have learned some…things…about him. What he believes in and does with those beliefs…

I will try to work on him, but I do think it best, again for your sake, that you…not get too close.”

She said this with a determined tone of finality, and then with an air of confidence walked back into her office.

Kara got the message.

She walked back into the office as well, asked, “Will that be all, Ms. Grant?” and after Cat’s response, walked back to her desk.

She would never know just how Cat knew she was trans…but then again, Kara told herself, one _never knew_ just how Cat knew all things she knew.

_Luckily_ , she would tell herself in the coming days, she didn’t have to fake an excuse to leave the date early that night, as a real and imminent danger provided the excuse for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to everyone reading this!! I hope you are enjoying it and do please feel free to leave a comment! 
> 
> Literally, as I’m posting this, I’m realizing this ends on a bit of a downer…sorry! I didn’t mean for that. Next chapter should be a little more fun and even-handed emotionally, I think!
> 
> As a side note, I must say, I am having such fun not only using established Kryptonese, but creating my own words here and there, including in this chapter when it came to insults. 
> 
> As I mentioned above, Chapter 3 is almost done, so you should be able to expect it come next Wednesday!
> 
> Also, I know this is tagged Supercorp and Dansen…we’re getting there! I promise!!


	3. I. Beginnings: Part 3: Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Superfriends stay busy with game night, lunch dates, and more.  
> Some, but not all secrets are revealed.  
> All the while Lex is busy in Kaznia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so first off don’t be shocked or anything, but yeah, this chapter, and I’m hoping the next couple are somewhat hefty (or at least heftier).  
> There were so many ideas I wanted to include here, and I would often take a short bullet point and then turn it into a couple thousand words.  
> Sorry for the lack of consistency.
> 
> So, in this chapter, timeline-wise, we’re firmly getting into Season 4, and I do play with several elements from the canon from then.  
> But!  
> I also envisioned whole lot of different plot changes regarding Children of Liberty/Marsdin’s resignation/Alien Amnesty/etc…  
> I won’t go into *all* of it, especially as I may still dig into some more of that at a later time, but I did make passing reference to Marsdin and “the aftermath,” and suffice to say she doesn’t resign. Oh, and James doesn’t get shot, but Kelly still comes to town. She intends to surprise James with a visit, but bumps into Alex first.
> 
> Also, there is some verbal transphobia in this chapter, some directly lifted from canon, and some not, but they're brief single remarks.
> 
> And hey, someone had asked about Nia! Here we go! This story isn’t *all* about her, but she’s definitely in here, in some fun and important ways I think.
> 
> Lastly, this chapter, in the end, became way more Reign-heavy than intended originally, but, well, sorry! I just love her too much!! lol

_A couple months after the events of Chapter 1…_

“Hi, Jess!”

“Good afternoon, Ms. Danvers,” Jess responded, professional as always.

“She’s just finishing a call, but you can head on in.”

“Thanks, Jess!” Kara responded as effervescent as always.

Kara walked into Lena’s office, carrying several bags of Big Belly Burger.

“No, Mr. Everett, I do believe your services _will not_ be required at L-Corp any longer.”

Kara could hear the loud and angry response emanating from the phone Lena held.

“Thank you – that will be all.” And with that she brought the receiver down firmly.

She sighed heavily, looked up, and realised that Kara was there. And with that a warm smile appeared on her face.

“Kara! I didn’t see you come in!”

“Sorry,” Kara squeaked out, “But I brought Big Belly Burger!”

“Well, let’s get to it!” Lena said, still smiling.

They moved to the sofa as Kara set down the bags on the table in front of them.

As they ate, they chatted away.

“So, how are things going at CatCo?”

“Pretty good, pretty good. I’m actually mentoring a new reporter, now!”

“Oh, Kara, that’s so exciting! What’s their name?”  
  
“Her name’s Nia. She seems really great so far.”

“That’s great. I’m sure you’ll bring out the best in her.”

Kara blushed lightly. “Thanks, Lena.”

“Of course, darling. I’m actually a little surprised you pulled yourself away from things there – what with the news of Marsdin and such?”

“Yeah, things _are_ quite busy over there – the next issue will be almost all about her and the aftermath – but, well, I had to pull myself away for _you_.”

Now it was Lena’s turn to blush.

“So, what about you though! How’s L-Corp doing?”

“Things are going well. It’s been great to have Sam back…though she and I both agree that Reign needs to learn not to always drop everything at the sign of a crime happening. At least she gets the need to be discreet…”

Kara felt awkward in that moment, not knowing quite how to respond.

 _Supergirl_ had had a few conversations on that topic already with Reign, but she thought, _Kara Danvers_ hadn’t, really.

Plus, would Kara Danvers really know Reign personally?

Ugh, Kara thought, she hated keeping her alter ego unknown to Lena!

“Oh my, speaking of discreet… You didn’t know that about Sam, did you?”

Well, Kara thought, there’s the answer to if Kara Danvers would know Reign and such… Why must this be so hard!?

  
“Oh, um, Supergirl told me about that situation.”

“Oh.”

Just like that Lena took on a frosty air, “That’s nice of her…revealing private personal information about people like that!”

Kara felt stuck. How should she respond to _that_?

“Nothing against you, of course, Kara. I just sometimes really don’t understand Supergirl…

I mean, _I_ revealed that just now accidentally, and I’m sure, if you didn’t already know, you wouldn’t tell anyone… But she had already told you!”

Kara dumbly nodded her head.

She wasn’t sure what to do.

Luckily for her, Reign came to her rescue, as she had been overhearing the conversation…

“Lena! Oh, sorry to interrupt your lunch date. I was just wondering if we could go over some of these latest numbers?” Sam said, as she barged into the office, per Reign’s urging.

Lena looked to Kara, apologetic.

“Oh, don’t worry about it – as you pointed out earlier, CatCo is a flurry of activity today – I really should get back,” Kara spoke hurriedly.

“Thanks, Kara!”

“Thanks for lunch!” Kara added on her way out.

Just as Kara was leaving Sam turned to her, and her eyes flashed red, with a distinct twinkle to them.

Once Kara was out of the building, she called Alex.  
  


_“Hey Kara, what’s up?”_

“Oh, Alex, I was just with Lena, and ugh, I just…I so need to tell her the truth – to tell her I’m Supergirl.

This is just too hard. She’s my best friend, and yet I’m not treating her as though she is – hiding this from her!”

_“Kara calm down. What happened?”_

“Well, we were having lunch and then she let slip something regarding Sam and Reign being one, which of course I’m not supposed to know, but I covered saying that Supergirl had told me, which she didn’t appreciate – she didn’t appreciate Supergirl telling me this ‘personal, private information’ about Sam…

I just didn’t know what to do!

If it wasn’t for Reign, well, I don’t what I would have done…maybe I would have told her then…”

_“What do you mean? What did Reign do?”_

“Well, Sam’s at work, but I’m pretty sure Reign got her to be a distraction for Lena, especially as just as I was leaving even though it was Sam there, Reign flashed her eyes at me.”

_“Oh.”_

“Yeah…

Anyway…I just don’t know what to do, Alex!

I want to tell her!

I should tell her!

I need to tell her!”

_“Kara, calm down. We’ve gone over this before… Remember? You’re doing this_ for her _. She already has a massive target on her back due to her name, and that target has already expanded with the Reign secret that, she, well, is at least supposed to be keeping. If you tell her, that target would increase even more._

 _Do you know how many assassination attempts she_ already _has in a month?”_

“Yeah, you’re right, Alex… Sorry for freaking out on you.” Kara responded more calmly now.

_“Hey, no problem.”_

They said their goodbyes and went on their ways for now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Meanwhile, below the harsh tundra of Kaznia…_

“Faster, faster, FASTER!”

Lex screamed at the Kryptonian figure in front of him, as she shattered target after target.

“Быстрее!”

_(Bystreye!/Faster!)_

“You _must_ push yourself! You _must_ make yourself stronger than her!”

The tv screen in front of the Kryptonian flashed pictures of Supergirl.

Interspersed were “All-American” images, flags, cookouts, military marches, Wall Street, and more.

This was just one example of Lex’s training of his, “Krasnaya Doch'” or Red Daughter, as he called her.

He would also read to her frequently. Readings from Brecht and Marx and others, while always mixed in were writings of his own.

He worked to instill in her a great hatred of American capitalism, American exceptionalism, and well, American everything.

All the while, tying it all back to Supergirl – this imposter, as he would put it, who bore her, Red Daughter’s face.

But her and the might of Kaznia would soon bring that all to an end – that was the lullaby he would sing her to sleep with each night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_A few weeks later, between National City and Parthas…_

Kara was having a good day.

She was feeling confident and _nothing_ was going to throw her off.

She had volunteered to drive Nia to her hometown of Parthas, which not only was she glad to do, but she was excited about.

She felt a real connection to her young mentee. She wasn’t sure fully where it stemmed from, maybe because she was part-alien, and Kara was an alien, but she felt like she could trust Nia, and she had a thought that maybe Nia trusted her, too.

And so, it was with great interest that Kara listened as Nia shared about her past.

“…. Yeah. I can’t imagine having grown up anywhere else.”

“Because you have parents from two different planets?”

“Yeah, but also because I’m trans….”

As Nia continued speaking, the wheels in Kara’s mind were rapidly turning.

Part of her was just so happy that Nia did feel comfortable telling her.

Part of her was so excited that she now knew another trans alien.

Part of her was screaming out that she should share how she’s trans, too.

Of course, at the same time, she thought, this was Nia’s moment right now, she didn’t want to detract from that.

“Thank you for sharing that with me,” Kara managed to get out while managing to calm and steel her features.

“Of course.”

Later on, Kara was just about to leave the house for the trip back with Nia. Nia just had to talk with her sister, as she told Kara.

And suddenly there was Maeve.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

Kara stood there, nervously and awkwardly at the door as she watched Nia and Maeve speak.

“…They’re supposed to be passed down from mother to daughter.

So, how did someone like you get them?  
You’re not even a real woman.”

Inwardly, Kara sighed heavily.

This was going to be an _interesting_ trip back, she thought.

But mostly she thought, how much she _felt_ for Nia.

She’d been lucky that she hadn’t really heard that type of talk from Alex throughout their time together, but nevertheless, she’d had her share of similar comments directed at her.

As they travelled back to National City, Nia expressed her surprise at Maeve’s comments, and Kara tried to comfort her and commiserate.

“I know it’s not the same thing, but if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been through a lot with my sister…”

Kara was still uncertain as to what, if anything she was truly going to _reveal_ to Nia.

“I appreciate your support, but this isn’t something that you can understand.

I have alien powers, my sister doesn’t.”

Kara inhaled and exhaled sharply and suddenly.

With what Nia had just said, she then _knew_.

She knew she had to share _both_ hidden aspects of who she was.

Nia needed to know, in every way that Kara could tell her, that _she wasn’t alone_.

She pulled over, bringing the car to a sudden stop.

“Why are you pulling over?”

Kara stayed quiet, psyching herself up for what she was about to do.

Kara marched a little ways from the car. Nia followed a little further behind.

Kara turned back to face Nia.

“Our experiences are not the same.

But trust me, Nia, when I say I do understand.

Maybe not fully, but quite a bit.”

Nia frowned at her, but stood there expectantly, waiting for more.

Kara took a deep breath, considering which secret to reveal first.

Well, here goes nothing, she thought, as she made her decision, whipped off her glasses, and flew straight up into the sky above.

After jetting back down, she said simply, “I am Supergirl.”

“Few people know my true identity, and even fewer know the other thing I want to tell you, but in a sense, I was like you – I was the sister with powers.

This secret, well, typically it’s not safe for others to know, but I am telling you, to help you. And I think you will be ok, because you are a hero in your own right!

Alex and I have _not_ always gotten along. Especially when we were younger…”

She laughed and said, “Rao, you could talk to her about that, too.”

She sighed.

“Partly, I just want you to know that you are not alone.

I was the sister with powers, and, well, I also was the transgender sister.”

Nia looked at her, surprise evident on her face.

“Now this secret, even fewer people know about. So, I would ask that you keep it that way, but…again, _you are not alone in this_.”

Kara began to slowly walk back to the car, Nia following behind even more slowly.

They both got in and though it took them a few minutes of driving to warm up, they began chatting warmly, largely with Nia asking Kara about her life while being a trans Kryptonian on Earth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_A couple weeks later, at Kara’s apartment in National City…_

Kara frantically paced around her apartment getting everything _just so_ for the soon-to-begin Game Night.

Frustratingly, Alex wasn’t there to fulfill her usual role of making snide remarks on her sister’s prepping.

Apparently, she was going to be a little late, tonight.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, startling Kara. Of course, it was the only one who could truly startle the Kryptonian – the combo that included another Kryptonian – Sam and Reign

Kara opened the door and greeted them, “Hi Reign! (And hi, Sam!)”

“Good evening, Ie,” Reign coolly responded.

_(sister)_

“Come in, come in!”

Just as Kara was about to close the door, she was met by the sight of her favourite half-Naltorian.

“I’m not late, am I?” Nia worriedly asked.

“No, definitely not,” Kara said, chuckling.

“You worry too much, Naltornium,” Reign said softly.

( _Naltorian)_

“Gee thanks, Reign,” Nia threw back sarcastically.

“Hey guys, save it for the DEO, ok?”

Kara who had stayed at the door, opened it to let in Brainy.

“I heard that, and for my part, I would prefer it if you did not ‘save it for the DEO.’ You two bicker enough as it is there,” Brainy said, looking between the two people in question.

Kara just sighed.

It was true, she thought… Who knew, but Reign really had a childish side…all it took was a Naltorian to fully bring it out.

The “leaving L-Corp at any sign that a crime was happening…somewhere” behaviour, from Reign had increased exponentially since Dreamer had made her way onto the scene, likely infuriating Lena and, well, Sam, Kara was certain.

Kara had tried, once again, to talk to Reign about the behaviour, and though she had gleaned that Reign felt a certain degree of competition with Nia, likely bringing such behaviour to the surface, she had made no real headway towards bringing such things to an end.

Next to come in was James.

Kara and James had fought a lot recently, but she still (tried) to hold on to him as a close friend.

He came in and plopped down heavily next to Reign.

“I don’t think we’ve formally met – you’re Reign right?”

Reign grimaced. She had been on the receiving end of many rants from Kara about James.

“Yes, I am – James, I presume?” she said with a fair degree of bite.

James, thrown off that she already knew who he was, simply dumbly nodded and turned back around.

Kara opened the door once again to find her sister snuggled up next to a woman she did not recognise, while the two were laughing as though they’d just heard the funniest anecdote in the world.

Kara had a warm yet questioning smile on her face as she welcomed in her sister and her _friend_ , into the apartment.

“Hey, Alex...”

As Alex was yet to offer up the identity of her friend, Kara continued, “… _and_ …” waiting for a name to be supplied.

As the two women moved further into the apartment, it was not Alex who answered Kara’s question, but James.

“Kelly?”

Kara looked between James and this “Kelly.”

“Wait, you two know each other?” Kara asked.

James looked at her, “Well, of course – she’s my sister.”

Kara looked back at her sister and this Kelly.

“Alex? Care to introduce everyone to your friend?”

Finally, they pulled themselves off each other and Alex introduced the group to Kelly.

Reign suspected (and correctly) that this “Kelly” didn’t know many of the group’s secrets, and so while Kelly was still distracted by Alex, Reign and Sam discreetly switched places.

“So,” James said, “is that everyone, then?”

“No,” Kara said, blushing lightly, “there should still be one more person!”

And with that she opened the door, to find Lena, with her hand raised, about to knock on the door.

“Lena! Hey! Come on in!”

Lena stood there for a brief second still surprised and stymied by what had just happened, before coming in.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Kara,” she said.

“Nonsense, Lena! You arrived just in time,” Kara responded, smiling her gigawatt smile

Lena introduced herself and then the game playing could finally get started, much to Kara’s glee.

Over the course of that evening much fun was had.

There were multiple instances of embarrassing happy dances performed (mostly, but not exclusively by Kara).

By the end of the night though, it became quite clear to both James and Sam, that they were inadvertently _both_ third wheeling it that evening.

Much to their surprise and disappointment.

As both of them looked around the room, they would see Nia and Brainy shooting heart eyes at each other, Lena sitting in Kara’s lap (to stay warm, she would argue, when prodded), and Alex and Kelly sitting so they were touching each other all while seemingly bringing out clumsiness out of the other.

Both James and Sam looked around the room, until their gazes met, they both sighed, and shook their heads awkwardly.

Neither Sam nor James seemed romantically interested in the other, unlike each and every one of their friends, it seemed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Again, below the harsh tundra of Kaznia…_

Lex flew (figuratively) across the room, sending all the equipment that was cluttering up the space flying, as well.

Off in the corner, Red Daughter sat in a shivering, huddled mass, electrodes still attached to her head.

Lex turned towards the huddled figure, screaming, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??”

They had been running all kinds of tests that morning and now it was getting to be late afternoon.

And yet, Lex could not figure it out.

The mystery in question surrounded the deteriorating health of Krasnaya Doch'.

Over the last few days, she continued to show various symptoms of illness – vomiting, chills, cough, general weakness and tiredness, and a reported headache.

Initially, Lex was simply surprised. He had a Kryptonian on his hands – how was she showing these symptoms?

But now…now he was downright incensed.

Here he was, the great Lex Luthor, who had studied Superman and Kryptonian physiology for years – and now this _one_ , his Red Daughter, was stymying him.

How?

What was it that provoked these responses in her??

What was different from her, compared to Superman and Supergirl???

Okay, he paused, there was the fact that she was brought forth from the Harun-El his sister had used…

But he had studied the substance himself – it shouldn’t be having these adverse effects!

On and on he went that day and on through the rest of the week, conducting more planning, more tests, and more verbal abuse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Back in National City at the Arias’ apartment…_

“Are you sure?”

_“Yes, Sam, it’s no problem at all, I’m sure we’ll be fine.”_

“Oh, thank you Nia! I owe you one for sure.”

_“No worries, Sam. I’ll be over in 20.”_

20 minutes later, Nia arrived at the apartment.

Sam decided to stay for just a couple minutes for introductions. While Sam had gotten to know Nia at game nights and such, and Reign of course knew her through their superhero-ing, Nia and Ruby had never actually met.

And so, after Nia and Sam exchanged greetings, Ruby reluctantly approached the two.

“Mom, I’m 14, for the millionth time, I don’t need a sitter!”

“Well, nevertheless, the world’s an awful place and I’m _not_ leaving you alone,” Sam shot back. “Plus, I think you’ll like who’s going to be with you tonight – no more Mrs. Queller.”

Ruby slowly took another step forward as her Mom continued.

“Ruby, this is my friend Nia.”

Ruby exchanged greetings with her sitter for the night with an almost imperceptible smirk, as Sam looked at the time and realised, she was now running behind for her meeting.

“And with that, I’m out – have fun and don’t give Nia too much trouble, Ruby!”

The door slammed shut behind her leaving Nia and Ruby in the large apartment together.

Ruby immediately walked away, heading towards the couch with her phone out.

Nia approached from the other direction and sat beside her but with a fair degree of room. She didn’t want to make Ruby too much more uncomfortable.

However, as soon as Ruby had been made aware that _Nia_ was her babysitter that evening, her mind had begun to whirr.

In that instant, she decided to take action.

She looked up from her phone, looked over at Nia, and said, “So, do you know Reign?”

She was testing her babysitter. She was fairly certain that Nia did know Reign, at the very least because her Mom was awful at keeping the secret of the other figure within her, especially when it came to anyone that her Mom might call a friend. But that also wasn’t the only reason she had…

The question had exactly the response she was looking for…Nia sputtered and lost her composure completely.

“Reign who? Oh, you mean the superhero? Umm…well, she’s cool and all, but how would I know her – I’m just a reporter!”

Ruby tried not to let her growing frustration show. She was always tired of her Mom, her Mom’s friends, and others underestimating her. She was 14, and she was perceptive as hell.

She got up, moved to stand in front of the tv, “Ok then,” she began.

And then turned around dramatically to face Nia as she said, “Dreamer!”

Nia, a sucker for such dramatic tension, gasped.

But then she collected herself quickly enough to retort, “Is she here? Where?”

Ruby just laughed.

But then she sighed heavily, surprising Nia.

That sigh was much heavier than she expected from the 14-year-old.

Ruby fell back on the couch.

“That was kinda fun, you confirmed my suspicions, but I just wish I could be like all of you… I wish you all would trust me…”

“All of you…?” Nia returned.

“Yeah…the Superfriends. Isn’t that what you call yourselves?” Ruby said with a smirk.

Nia had had enough.

“Ok, ok, fine. Let me ask you this – how do you _know_ any of this?”

Ruby laughed.

“I’m smart and perceptive. I can _see things_ , you know,” Ruby shot back with a roll of her eyes.

“Well, and Mom did tell me about Reign. She couldn’t very well hide _her_ , from me!

But yeah, I’ve got files on all of y’all,” she finished as though this admission was nothing.

“Umm…what…?”

In response, Ruby just turned to face Nia and began what seemed like a recitation of sorts, “Nia Nal. 21 years old and youngest member of the Superfriends. Half-Naltorian and inheritor of oneiric energy powers.” Ruby paused. She knew more about Nia, but suddenly it just _hit her_ that Nia was older than her and was after all in charge… She knew she’d already surprised Nia, but she didn’t want to make her too uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, more quietly, Ruby continued – “Was political speechwriter for White House Press Secretary Cat Grant and…is a transgender woman.”

Nia just _looked_ at Ruby, increasingly worrying the teenager.

“You know…” Nia began, taking on a stern tone, “that’s a bit creepy, _especially_ considering some of that is incredibly personal and I’m guessing obtained invasively.”

Ruby turned inward.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Nia sighed.

“Look, I get especially with knowing about Reign, that you want to be in the know and involved, but this stuff is dangerous. Ok?

I’m certain that’s why your Mom hasn’t brought you in.”

“Like why Kara hasn’t told Lena?”

Nia looked back at the kid in fearful awe. Damn, she thought, this kid knows a whole heck of a lot.

“Um…yeah…that’s probably what Kara would say certainly.

Look, Ruby, can I see these files?”

Ruby thought about it before shrugging and bringing out a stuffed manila folder from her room.

Nia pulled all the contents out and was surprised at the number of individuals researched and the depth of the research for each of them.

Slowly Nia looked through it all.

Finally, she asked, “How did you even _get_ some of this information?”

Ruby, with a burst of confidence said, “Well, I _may_ have hacked L-Corp and the DEO for some of that.”

She then withered under the look Nia shot her in response.

“I’ll admit that’s impressive, but that is genuinely not something to be proud of. Especially at 14.”

Nia sat there for a moment, continuing to look over the detailed files and considering what to do next.

She knew Sam and well, everyone, would need to be made aware of Ruby’s _intelligence gathering_.

She decided that when Sam returned in a couple hours that she would let her know, and show her the files, and let Sam deal with Ruby, as she saw fit.

In the meantime, she thought, might as well lighten the mood…

“So…” Nia began as she put the files back in the manila folder and put it on the counter, “…what are your thoughts on musicals?”

Ruby shrugged her shoulders, pulling a noncommittal act.

“I mean, Disney’s ok, but I haven’t seen many. I don’t think Mom’s a fan…”

Nia, sensing there was more to the story there, decided to “pull rank,” so to speak, and declared, “Ok, well, I’m in charge and right now we’re going to watch Les Misérables!”

Nia pulled up Netflix and soon enough the strains of Hugh Jackman and others singing, “Look Down,” could be heard.

It took a little bit of time – Nia thought at first that she was hearing things, but by the time Valjean was singing…

_“What have I done?_

_Sweet Jesus, what have I done?_

_Become a thief in the night,_

_Become a dog on the run_

_And have I fallen so far…”_

…she could quite distinctly make out Ruby’s quiet, yet emphatic voice singing along (and much better than Hugh Jackman, let it be noted).

And so, she turned, facing Ruby, and let her own voice sing out even louder.

At this, Ruby turned quiet and crossed her arms.

“Oh, come on! You had the right idea! I won’t judge!” Nia tried.

It took a few minutes, but by the time the next song began Ruby’s voice could now be loudly heard joining Nia’s…

_“At the end of the day you're another day older_

_And that's all you can say for the life of the poor_

_It's a struggle, it's a war_

_And there's nothing that anyone's giving_

_One more day standing about, what is it for?_

_One day less to be living.”_

As the song continued, Nia turned to Ruby. “Ok, that’s it – fess up! Are you a Les Miz fan or what??”

Ruby hung her head and gave in, a smile beginning to appear on her face, as she said, “Fine, fine, I love Les Miz and musicals, but don’t tell my Mom. She thinks we bond over not liking them.” She sighed dejectedly.

“Well, I’m sorry about that. But hey you’re with me right now, and for now we can enjoy it, ok?”

“Yeah, I guess,” was Ruby’s response. But it was only a few seconds before her attention was back on the tv and she was singing along again.

Later on, Nia asked, as Eponine sang “On My Own, “So…you’re obviously familiar with the show, but in any case, we’ve now watched most of it…who do you ship together?”

Ruby looked at Nia sideways for a second. She knew her answer, oh she definitely did, but she was uncertain whether to give it away.

“Ummm…well, I like…”

Nia wasn’t sure what to expect, but she certainly was eager to hear the girl’s response.

“…well, it’s kind of embarrassing. I mean it’s hardly even suggested by the canon…”

Nia just laughed. “Oh, Ruby! You let that sort of thing stop you?”

Of course, Ruby didn’t _really_ let that sort of thing stop her from shipping two or more characters together, but she was nervous of letting that be known.

Nia just looked to her with an encouraging look.

“Fine. My favourite ship is Cosette/Eponine.”

Nia gave a light and quick laugh. “Ok, well, we _have got to_ get to know each other better… You were scared to tell me that? Girl, that’s my favourite ship, too!

Heck, it’s not common, like, at all, but I like to use the ship name, Eposette, too.”

Ruby, at the admissions from Nia, just turned and gave a wide smile.

She was a bit embarrassed and sorry about the reconnaissance she’d done on her Mom’s friends, and she had no idea how her Mom or any of them would respond, but she knew one thing – right then, in that moment, Nia was with her, and to her, Nia was cool.

They talked some more through the rest of the movie.

Ruby even admitted to a crush she had recently developed on her friend Tess.

But mostly, above all, they sang, and they sang, and they sang.

The movie had just finished a few minutes earlier when Sam came back in to see Nia and Ruby laughing together on the couch.

“Well, I don’t mean to interrupt your good time, but I’m sure Nia wants to head home – now that I’m back…”

“Well, I did have lots of fun, Ruby, but I know you have school in the morning, right?”

“Yeah,” Ruby conceded.

“Well, how about you two say your goodbyes, and then you get ready for bed, Rubes?” Sam directed.

Ruby and Nia hugged, as they said goodbye.

“Bye, Ruby.”

“Bye, Nia – you’re pretty cool. See you next time?”  
“Sure.”

Once Ruby was fully down the hallway, Sam asked, “How was she, Nia?”

Nia grabbed her things from the couch and moved to sit in the kitchen on one of the barstools.

She picked up the manila folder she’d left there, on the counter and sighed.

“She’s a good kid, overall, Sam. Don’t be _too_ hard on her…”

Sam’s eyes narrowed.

Inside, Reign was freaking out. Reign was more than a little protective of Ruby.

_“Samantha, you shouldn’t have left her with the Nalto-I mean, Nia. They probably left the house…probably went gallivanting around town doing who-knows-what!_

_I mean, I know you didn’t specifically say for them not to leave the house, but, well, that was your error…”_

Knowing that Nia, of course, knew of Reign, Sam sounded off aloud – “Reign! Enough! I understand you care for her, but I will not have you dictate how I raise _my_ daughter.”

Nia couldn’t help but giggle slightly at the display. She, like most of the Superfriends, frankly still couldn’t quite fully grasp the intricacies of the complex relationship between Reign and Sam.

Sam sighed and looked back at Nia.

“Sorry about that.

What did she do?”

It was Nia’s turn to sigh, as she picked back up the manila folder and held it delicately.

“Well. She knows, Sam…”

“About what? Reign? I mean, I did eventually have to tell her about her, so that’s not a surprise.”

“No…Sam, she knows about everything. All of us.”

Sam’s eyes grew wide.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly that. She knew exactly who I was, she knows who Kara is, and well, a _whole_ lot more.”

Sam’s eyes stayed wide, as she shakily sat down.

She had had no intent on bringing her daughter in on the secrets her and her friends held, at least for several years more.

Nia passed Sam the folder, as she said, “Apparently, she’s been keeping close tabs on all of us, _reconnaissance_ of sorts. It’s pretty detailed.”

Sam began to look through it, as she began to even grow frustrated.

“How did she even get some of this information??”

“I had the same question for her.

Apparently, she hacked L-Corp and the DEO for a good deal of it.”

Sam just shook her head.

“How could she do this? I just don’t understand. This isn’t the Ruby I know.”

“Well, the way she tells it, she’s a very smart and perceptive kid, but she doesn’t feel as though you recognise that and let her in enough.”

As Sam opened her mouth to utter a fierce and defensive retort, Nia stopped her – “Sam, I can’t imagine where your mind’s at but I’m not here to blame you – for anything.

I just wanted you to know how she sees it.” She paused briefly. “The one thing I’ll add is that I just think you two should talk about this. After that – who am I to say? But I do think you should talk about this for yourselves.”

Sam just hung her head and sighed. “You’re right.

Thank you so much for tonight, Nia.”

Nia grabbed her things and began to make her way to the door, as she responded, “No problem, Sam. She’s a great kid.”

Sam just absentmindedly nodded a couple times, causing Nia to frown.

Nia threw off a last, “Good night,” as she exited the apartment and went on her way, hoping that Sam wouldn’t be too hard on Ruby.

They had really connected that evening, and she really hoped that soon enough they would be able to sit together and sing-along to another great musical.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_A few weeks later, at the DEO…_

Reign landed gracefully back in the DEO and began to make her way to Alex and J’onn to debrief.

Before she had made it very far, she felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her suit. She took it out and immediately, a huge grin broke out over her face.

_TINDER  
You’ve matched with Rosie!_

_TINDER_

_Rosie sent you a new message!_

She was so excited that she couldn’t help the “Yip!” of excitement that came from her.

Sam, who had been busy thinking about her next business meeting and what it entailed, was startled and brought her focus back to the “outside world.”

She “looked down,” to see Reign pulling open an app, and for a second she couldn’t tell yet what app. In that space of time, she said to Reign, “ _Hey shouldn’t you be debriefing?”_

“Oh shush.”

And then, as Reign had now pulled open Tinder and was biting her lip, considering an answer to Rosie, this potential paramour, Sam went into “Mom mode,” so to speak, scolding voice fully at her disposal – _“Reign! What do you think you’re doing? I am quite certain the DEO did not provide you that phone to seek out and engage in such illicit dalliances!_

_What did you even say on such a profile – “I’m Reign, part-time superhero, fully reformed murderer”?_

Reign’s smile only left for a brief moment, before she audibly and in a tone of warning said, “Stay out of it, Samantha!”

Sam knew that had been a low blow there, at the end, but she was very concerned – that was certain. She didn’t know that this was something Reign was spending her time on, and the thought of it very much _did_ worry her.

_“I’m sorry, but I thought we talked to each other – this just comes out of nowhere…”_

“Sure, but I knew you wouldn’t approve,” Reign shot back.

Just then, as she was still meandering towards the conference room, she bumped into Kara.

They stepped away from each other, ready to move on, but Kara stopped Reign – “Wait! What’s going on? You are, like, five times happier than you ever are – I can just tell! Why such a good mood?”

Reign considered for just the slightest of a second whether or not to share her news with her Kryptonian sister.

“Well…I may be on my way to getting a date!! I just _matched_ , I believe the word is, with someone who seems really great and she already messaged me, and well, I’m just so excited for what this could mean!!”

Unfortunately for Reign, this did not give her the reaction she was hoping for from her _ie_.

_(sister)_

Reign watched as Kara became visibly uncomfortable, bouncing from side to side awkwardly.

Reign sighed, “Not you, too…”

“What?” Kara asked.

“Well, obviously, for whatever reason, you disapprove as well. Samantha will be happy of that,” she said frowning.

“Reign! No! I mean, I’m happy for you. This is obviously important to you…”

Reign could see Kara had struggled to get that out. She could tell how pained Kara still was and, she assumed, that she hardly, if at all believed her own words.

Before Kara could continue, Reign interrupted, not sounding like her usual self, now voice full of venom, “You know, Kara, at least I’m working to pursue what I want, instead of the fumbling mess you are with Ms. Luthor.” She paused for a moment only to switch to a whisper and add, “You should see my profile – you may have _the balls_ but I’m the one being authentic with those I love.”

Kara stood there, brought down to a blubbering mess by the former Worldkiller.

Reign took off, resolute now in wanting to get this debrief finally over with.

She’d stalled long enough.

She made her way to the conference room, over on the second floor.

As she made her way in, she saw Alex, looking out the window and down at her sister.

“You seem to have left Kara in a bit of a state… Nothing too permanent I hope?”

Reign shrugged and made a small non-committal sound, “Hard to say, Agent Danvers.”

Alex fixed Reign with a hard look for a second, before deciding that she would simply hope Sam would handle it, as she moved on to the task at hand.

Soon enough, she was free to go, and Reign took off to the skies.  
And though she had quieted down during the debrief, suddenly the dull roar of Sam’s voice, came back in full force in Reign’s head.

_“Reign! What has gotten into you?? I mean, I understand you may be frustrated at me and even Kara for disapproving of you attempting to date, but…but this next level and out of control!_

_What you said to Kara… Shit, Reign, if you still want to be close to her, I will bet you that you will have to work hard to get back there now! I mean, sure, I kind of agree that she should be more real to Lena, but the way you said it was just mean! And then that comment about being authentic…you_ do understand _how insensitive that was, right? I mean, surely…”_ Sam paused, collecting herself, her late afternoon meeting long forgotten. _“Fuck, no, in that moment you probably did realise what you were saying. Damn, Reign... I just hope, maybe now, you’re realising the harm you’ve done…”_

The fact of the matter was, as Reign flew over to L-Corp for Sam’s late afternoon meeting, Reign _was_ realising just what she’d done, and as Sam said, the harm, she’d done.

She landed on the balcony of Sam’s office and switched attire, before switching places with Sam.

Sam had some difficulty conducting her meeting due to her increasing worry over what Reign had done.

Not helping her worry was the fact that she was receiving radio silence from Reign ever since they’d left the DEO.

Eventually, once Sam’s meeting was done, and the duo were back at home, Sam tried to entice Reign out.

“Speak to me, Reign! Come on, you at least don’t want to leave _Rosie_ waiting…”

But still, Reign stayed locked away in their shared mindscape.

Sam sighed.

She just hoped Kara wouldn’t take it out against her or hold it against her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_At the DEO, right after Reign leaves Kara for the debrief…_

Kara, even after she had stopped sputtering, in shock mostly after what had happened with Reign, she still stood there in place, unmoving.

Finally, Vasquez tried to snap her out of it.

“Hey, umm…Kara…”

They weren’t sure what had happened between the two heroes, but they were nervous about getting between them.

“…are you ok?

Did Reign…hurt you?”

Kara laughed nervously at that.

“Reign? Hurt me? Oh, Vasquez, you obviously don’t know us!”

Still nervously laughing, Kara walked off, ignoring Vasquez’s worried look.

Just then, Kara saw Reign shoot off in the sky, leaving the DEO. She sighed and went to find Alex.

“Hey, Alex, umm,” she said as she scratched the back of her head. “I think I’m going to head home for the day, ok?”

Alex gave her a compassionate look and said, “Don’t worry, I think we’ll be fine here.”

Without another word, Kara took off to the sky for her loft.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Later, at Kara’s loft…_

Kara barely heard Alex’s knocking over her loud crying.

Alex, for her part, after several minutes of knocking, was fully worried. She didn’t know what, but _something_ had happened between her sister and Reign.

And now she was certain, as she heard her sister’s loud crying through the door.

“Kara, please, I know something happened – I want to be there for you.”

Finally, not knowing when or if her sister was going to open the door, Alex let herself in.

At that, Kara somewhat snapped out of it, and with her eyes wide, she said, “Alex! What’s up?”

Alex shot her a caring look.

“You tell me? Plus, I brought ice cream!”

The two sisters sat together with their ice cream on the couch, as Kara slowly recounted what had happened with Reign.

“Wait! She’s trying to use dating apps? Doesn’t she know of the perils of that? Especially with her being, well, her?”

“I know! And that’s what I was going to say, but apparently Sam was already also disapproving, and that just sent her off.

She tried to make it about me, saying that at least she was going after what she wanted, unlike me with Lena, well, and then…and then she made a jab about not being authentic, saying how “I may have the balls,” but she’s the one being authentic with those she loves.”

Kara hung her head and sighed.

“Oh, Kara…” Alex said, as she reached over and gave her sister a hug.

“Thanks, Alex.

I mean, I’ve been crying basically since I got home, mostly where my mind is at now, is that I just don’t understand _why_ she would say those things. Like I get she was happy, but then, just because I wasn’t fully on board, she did a 180, and then was just _so mean!_ ”

They both paused to collect themselves, before Kara spoke up again, in a hushed tone, saying something that they were both thinking, “Do you think…do you think she’s becoming her old self again? You know… _evil_?”

Alex sighed. She really hoped this wasn’t the case, but she couldn’t help but wonder.

However, for her sister’s sake, she tried to be optimistic.

"Well, I hope not…I think really, that it’s just residual emotional energy from then. I mean, remember, we got the Reign we know now, largely thanks to Reign’s _own_ agency and decisions to reform. I mean, even with the Harun-El, Reign _willingly_ took it to stop the process of overtaking Sam’s consciousness.

Basically, for the most part, Reign _chose_ to be good.

I can’t imagine that this is or will be an easy journey for her – staying on this path, staying reformed.

But, hey, enough of my rambling – this is about you!”

Something flashed in Kara’s eyes, and suddenly she was _back_ , alert and ready for action.

“Oh goodness, Alex, I didn’t even think about it like that! I should go to Sam’s! Show Reign I’m there for her!”

Alex couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped her.

“Well, I’m glad you want to be there for her, but are you sure you’re ok? I mean, you are right, she was pretty mean.”

Kara’s smile fell for a second before responding blankly, “Eh, I’ve had worse.”

Alex sighed.

“ _I know_ , but not from Reign…”

Kara just stubbornly moved away from Alex and got out her phone to text Sam and Reign (she wasn’t sure who first).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Meanwhile at the Arias’ apartment…_

Sam paced worriedly around the kitchen.

She was still receiving radio silence from Reign and she was growing more and more worried by the minute about the state of her companion in all things.

Thankfully she wasn’t worrying too much about Ruby on top of everything. She was at a sleepover at her friend Tess’. This, of course, after the 3-week punishment Sam had given Ruby that had included being grounded.

Sam glanced at where she had left Reign’s phone on the counter earlier, as it dinged _again_.

They had a general agreement that they didn’t mess with each other’s phones unless truly necessary, but Sam thought, this was necessary!

She picked up Reign’s phone, saying to her, “Reign, I know you can hear me. I’m checking your phone, ok?”

Nothing in response.  
  


Sam looked down to find several message notifications from Rosie, and just now a message notification from Kara. She tapped on that one.

_KARA_

_Hey, Reign, I won’t say I’m not hurt after the things you said earlier, but at the same time, I still want to be there for you. You’ve come so far – and that’s been because of you. I want to support you and help you just let me know._

Sam couldn’t help the slight shake of her head and the small smile that appeared on her face.

Again, she spoke to Reign, “Did you see that – Kara is still running back wanting to help you!” In a lower voice she finished, “Even after the awful things you said.”

In her mind, Sam could suddenly hear the sounds of very loud crying.

It took Sam a moment to register what she was even hearing, as she’d never even heard her “mind-mate” do this.

She sat down, and said, “Hey now, I’m sorry, ok?

Do you want me to say anything back to Kara?”

Though Sam still struggled at it, she had gotten better at shielding her thoughts from Reign.

She did so now, as frankly, well, she was of two minds on the situation. On the one hand she was really quite frustrated and angry at Reign. Though it had been over four months since Kara had been really open and tender in coming out to Reign as trans, this certainly didn’t give her permission to be so mean and downright insensitive to this other Kryptonian hero.

Kara didn’t need this type of behaviour from someone she felt she could trust, Sam thought.

On the other hand, Sam thought, there was something in Kara’s message that was not only admirable, but logical.

Reign, of her own accord, _had_ done a lot work to become who she was today.

 _She_ was the one who had begun talking to Sam, trying to get them to work together.

 _She_ was the one, even while early on visibly struggling, had subjected herself to DEO containment and testing.

 _She_ was the one who willingly and eagerly took Lena’s Harun-El, to protect Sam.

Heck, she thought, Reign had even willingly revealed her high level of Kryptonite resistance to Lena, Alex, J’onn and the others.

She sighed.

She really was of two minds on this (she paused and laughed at the irony), and she just wasn’t sure how to reconcile the two.

Sam suddenly grew alert, as she heard a knock at the door.

She got up and answered it to find, to her surprise, Reign.

She wasn’t in costume or anything, but she was wearing her ponytail with her hair piece, and her eyes were red.

Sam stood there, mouth agape for a second.

Reign then stoically spoke up, “Come, follow me, Samantha.”

Sam reluctantly did so, immediately noticing as she crossed the threshold of the apartment that they were, well, that was kind of the question – _where_ were they?

As best she could tell, they had stepped into a white void.

And of course, there was still the question of how they were separate, and yet _both_ present.

Reign kept walking, her back to Sam, and after a few minutes of this, Sam had had enough – “Reign! What is going on? Where are we? How are we both here?”

“Seriously, Samantha, with that brilliant CFO mind –“ Reign stopped mid-sentence, and hung her head, sighing.

“Sorry.”

Reign finally turned to face Sam. “We’re in our shared mindscape. I’m not surprised you don’t recognise it – you don’t visit.”

“And so that’s how we can both be here, too?”

“Correct.”

“Ok, but I just heard the door knock, and it’s not like I was sleeping or anything – I was awake…?” Sam said, her confusion still fully present.

“Oh, Sammy, while you were trying to hide your thoughts for me – you’re definitely improving at that, by the way – you got so deep in your mind, that all I had to do was knock at the ‘door’ between us.”

Huh. Just when Sam thought she had gotten used to mentally cohabiting with someone, and you know, sharing a body, _this_ happens, Sam thought.

Sam awkwardly shifted from side to side.

“Ok, so what’s going on – you finally want to talk after avoiding me for half the day?”

Reign visibly shrunk under the comment.

Reign stepped forward arms somewhat outstretched before speaking up in anguished tone, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what wrong with me.

But that is why I wanted to talk here – I don’t trust myself ‘outside,’ right now.”

“Oh, Reigny,’ Sam responded immediately, forgetting all her qualms from earlier.

“I just don’t know what to do…

I did kind of want to talk to you more about the whole issue of me dating, but right now, I don’t even feel like trying to get to know anyone…

I mean, I am somewhat serious about it – I really want to date, find love,” her voice took on an especially warm tone here – “kindle something special – _with_ someone special.”  
Then she dorkily looked around to check they were alone (even though of course they were), and added, “And I kind of want to have sex for myself.”

Sam couldn’t help herself, after that last comment, she laughed uproariously for a good minute, while Reign tried to take on a pout.

She finally stopped just in time for Reign, who had had enough, to say, “Samantha! -”

But Sam cut her off, saying, “I’m sorry, Reign, you weren’t even crude, or anything… I think that’s really what seemed funny – you’re just so cute even daring to admit that you’d be interested in sex.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind?” Reign softly asked.

“Heck, no! Though we would have to have some ground rules.” Sam smirked as she continued, “This body is a temple, baby – and you got to treat it right! Got that, Reigny?”

Reign felt so many emotions in her then.

She was excited that Sam was on-board, she was embarrassed, with Sam continuing the use of this nickname, and well, there was something else, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was…

“So, if you get so far as sex – do it safely, and always, always, wash up after you’re done, before we switch again! These are non-negotiable – ok?”

Reign simply nodded eagerly.

They sat on a bench that they had come across. (Sam still wanted to pester Reign about the mechanics of this mindscape, but that was business for later…)

Reign looked at Sam for a second before asking, “So, what changed? You were so disapproving when you first saw me on Tinder earlier.”

Sam sighed.

“You know, I’m skeptical that _the way_ you’re on Tinder – I would approve of right now.

I’m up for you having sex and having romantic relationships, but well, I don’t think broadcasting to the world your identity as Reign is the best way to do that.”

Reign began to sputter.  
“But…but who am I then? Who am I if not Reign??”

Sam laughed lightly, before getting serious – “My girl, Reign, if you seriously have no conception of self without that headpiece and hairpiece…well, we’re in more serious shit than I thought we were.”

Reign just looked at Sam blankly.

Sam put her arms up in frustration.

“Reign! You are kind, compassionate, careful, considerate, and just generally pretty awesome – that’s not even mentioning your powers or superhero-ing.”

“Perhaps, but what about today…?” Reign replied forlornly.

“Eh, probably a fluke. Who said being a reformed specially-designed Kryptonian weapon was easy?”

Earlier, Sam wouldn’t have said what she just did but she was on a roll now – she was gonna’ ace this pep talk thing!

“Listen, I think what you should do is deactivate the old profile or profiles you have on any dating apps and get the DEO to set you up with a proper ‘new’ identity.”

Then she added in a teasing tone, “And _then_ you can have all the sex you want!!”

Reign blushed bright red and was extra thankful that this conversation was in their mindscape.

As she collected herself, she sighed. Sam knew her so well.

“Ok.”

Sam just looked at her for a second – “Ok? No fight?”

Reign just smiled at her counterpart. “Yeah, shesur – no fight. I think you’re right.”

Sam’s face took on a weird half-frown, half-smile, as she asked, “Ok, come on! You know I don’t know Kryptonese. What was that?”

Reign smiled at her. “Shesur, in English, refers to one’s self. It’s actually more like that little voice in your head who steers you the right way.” As she finished, smiling brightly, she pulled Sam in for a hug.

“Ok, ok, you dork! I love you, too,” Sam voiced while being crushed by Reign.

Reign let her go and said, “Thank you for everything Samantha.”

After her day of being, well, _impolite_ , she asked as politely as she could, “May I have control of the body now, Samantha?”

Sam had to bite down on her laughter, but finally, let out a “Yes, you dork.”

Reign got up and opened a nearby door, leaving it open for Sam, for when she would want to leave their mindscape.

Reign opened her eyes, back in the apartment, back in the “real world,” and took a deep breath, reacquainting herself, so to speak, with the world.

Being in the mindscape, especially there with “someone else” does funny things to you, including to your sense of time, she thought.

She looked at the clock, and deciding it wasn’t too late, she determinedly picked up her phone and called Alex.

It only took a couple rings before Alex picked up.

_“Reign? That’s you right?”_

In that instant, as Alex’s tone sent fear down Reign’s spine, she decided she thoroughly disliked the human technology of caller ID.

“Yes, it is I,” Reign said, as her confidence swiftly began leaving her.

“Listen. I am not happy with you right now, and I’m sure you know why.

Nevertheless, not only did you leave Kara a blubbering mess at the DEO, after being the cruellest I’ve seen you…recently, but you still haven’t called or texted her.

Instead, you now call me!

So, let me tell you – you better have a damn good reason why, frankly _both_ you and Sam are avoiding Kara, to the point of trying to talk to me first!”

“Alex, I am sorry. –”

_“For what…for what are you sorry, Reign?”_

“I’m sorry for the way I treated Kara. I was mean and insensitive – I recognise that, now.”

_“Hmm…_

_You still haven’t answered my earlier question, though…”_

Reign sighed.

She really didn’t feel ready to face Kara.

Here goes nothing, she thought.

“Alex, I was wondering if the DEO would make me another identity, like an alter ego, like Kara has in a way?”

There was silence on the other end for a full minute.

Reign worried for a second that the phone had disconnected somehow.

Then, she heard Alex’s voice again – firm and decisive – _“I’m sorry Reign, but I am in no mood to give out favours to anyone let alone you, right now.”_

She paused ever so briefly.

_“Come into the DEO in the morning, and maybe, maybe, we can talk then.”_

And then Reign heard her hang up.

Reign stood there in utter silence.

She had never – well, no it had _been a while_ since she had gotten anywhere near to that sort of treatment from Alex.

And it hurt.

But in that moment as she stood there, sulking while also trying to collect herself, she found herself trying to hold onto hope.

She _had_ to have hope, she decided.

Like Kara, she thought wistfully.

But no, she wasn’t ready to face Kara, yet. But soon – _hopefully_.

She _would_ mend fences with both Kara and Alex.

She _would_ find a new life for herself, a life of her own while not rejecting the family she already had.

She _would_ engage in any self-actualisation she, Sam, or other close ones determined she needed.

She would do all this and more, no longer truly a “Worldkiller,” but now a…a Hopebringer!

She laughed lightly to herself, at the thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, at least that ended on a *hopeful* note!
> 
> Genuinely I hope folks enjoy this at least somewhat.  
> Please comment any questions or reactions or whatnot you have!
> 
> Also, hopefully people aren’t too mad about what Ruby did. 🤷  
> On that note, sort of, I totally would have had them watch a concert staging of Les Mis, with better singing and acting, but I went for simplicity as the movie is more likely to be on Netflix (I think it’s even on there now).
> 
> Lastly, I just wanted to say, I’ve got a specific story I’m wanting to tell here, but I’m figuring once that’s done I may just try to flesh the world out with more scenes from in-between chapters and such.


	4. II. The Times They Are a Changin’: Part 1: Love & Doppelgangers in the Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam deals with some newfound feels.  
> Kara and Nia bond further and deal with different feels.  
> In the background, some plot from canon makes an appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all y’all!!  
> I’m back with a new chapter of this story!  
> I’ve been trying to work on this a bunch lately, and though I’m certain it’s not as long as Ch. 3, I also quite wanted to post, and I felt like where this chapter ends was not a bad place to stop before what I have planned for the next one. 
> 
> If any of y’all read what I shared around the holidays, where I jumped into the future in this “literary universe”, you’ve already heard of Liv. But! I realised I needed to bring her in, into this story, to properly introduce her in the world.
> 
> Also!! Potential CW for frank and blunt discussion (between two trans women characters) of trans feels, including of body parts, shame, dysphoria, and masturbation.

_A few days after the end of Chapter 3, at the Arias’ apartment…_

Sam was getting ready to go into L-Corp for the day, while having a conversation with Reign.

“Reign! You’ve got to stop this. You can’t just close yourself off to everyone like this. Especially Kara – you _still_ haven’t apologised to her.”

_“What is it people say, Samantha – baby steps – I think. Just give me time. I’ve got my new identity, soon I’ll tackle other things…ok?”_

Sam sighed heavily.

“Sure. But I’m warning you – don’t put it off for too long.”

The conversation wound down pretty quickly then, as Sam focused on driving herself to L-Corp.

She made her way in, into the building and into her office, before getting to her work.

Later, just as she was starting to wonder about finding herself some lunch, she heard a knock at her door.

Though she had nothing scheduled right then, she assumed that this was friend not foe, considering they had gotten past her secretary and weren’t causing Reign to freak out.

“Come in!”

And in walked Olivia Jensen, well, Liv, as she had some time ago now said Sam could call her, looking the most radiant, Sam thought, she had ever had.

It had been a while since they had seen each other, but during the Evil Reign times and especially after, they had grown quite friendly. Liv becoming someone that Sam felt she could confide in and have close to her when times were hard.

She hadn’t shared all the secrets of her and her _Super_ friends, but certainly had shared about herself and Reign and the struggles regarding said relationship.

Especially after Evil Reign was done, Lena, who had been one of Sam’s closest friends, seemed to forget about her – rescheduling on her, or simply avoiding her, at every opportunity, it seemed to Sam.

Luckily for Sam, she then had Liv.

But it did seem like it had been a while since they had last seen each other.

Aside from the usual such as work and Reign’s superheroing, Sam had been busy with minding Ruby’s recent bad behaviour, and now trying to mind Reign even more than usual.

As Liv waltzed into Sam’s office, with Big Belly Burger in tow, she lightly threw out, “Hey, Sammy!”

_“Pick your jaw up off the desk, Samantha!”_ Sam heard Reign loudly tell her.

As she slowly did so, she let out a small, “Hey.”

Sam, inside, was freaking out.

It was like she was seeing Liv in a whole new light.

Maybe, she thought, this was Reign’s fault – she was the one who had kicked off the discussion of relationships, recently.

Dating really hadn’t been something Sam had been considering for herself. Well, it hadn’t been something she had been considering for herself for some time, at least.

Her life was just so…complicated, she thought.

But in walked Liv, today, and suddenly, it was like her whole worldview had shifted.

She shook her head lightly, trying to snap herself out of her daze, finding Liv looking at her strangely.

“Everything alright there, Sammy?”

Sam got up and moved towards Liv, saying, as she tried to smile, “Never better.”

She sat down near Liv, heart beating as fast as it could, and quickly mentally said, _“Reign, stay away please.”_

“So, what’s new, Sammy? Busy showing those spreadsheets who’s boss?”

Sam looked back up towards Liv, and then rushed to look back down, afraid to look at her friend without staring.

While doing so, she let out a quick, “Of course.”

Liv couldn’t help herself, sultrily adding, as she brought her line of sight down, closer to Sam’s, “You know, sometimes I wish I had someone to show me who’s boss…”

Sam gulped, and got out, “Well, if you insist, I’m sure I could see if Lena would give you a performance review, perhaps?”

At that, Liv swiftly turned away from Sam, with a frustrated sigh escaping her, too.

Liv collected herself, though, and like she had done several times before, in similar situations with Sam, she waved her hand, saying “Oh, never mind. Let’s eat before the food gets too cold.”

And though they did proceed to do just that, Sam couldn’t help but wonder what to make of the distinct feeling of butterflies in her stomach.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_That evening, Kara’s apartment…_

“Hey Nia, thanks for coming over. Alex is busy with Kelly, and Lena apparently has an evening work call,” Kara frustratedly let out.

As Nia saunters into the apartment, she laughs and says, “Gee thanks, Kara. Really know how to make me feel welcome!”

Kara lowers her head, bashfully. “Sorry – I didn’t mean it like that. I’m excited to hang out with you too.”

“No worries – I’m just teasing.”

Kara grabs a few tubs of ice cream from the freezer and joins Nia as the two begin to get comfortable on the couch.

The conversation doesn’t take long to start flowing, as though it’s been a while since the two have hung out aside from CatCo and superheroing, they get along well, and well, have plenty to catch up on.

Soon though, the chitchat begins to wind down.

Nia, curiosity overcoming her, asks, “So, are you and Reign still on the outs? What even happened there?”

Kara visibly shrinks some, at that.

“Not that we have to talk about that,” Nia quickly adds. “We really don’t have to.”

Kara looks back at Nia. “No, it’s fine.”

She sighs.

“The short answer is that, yes, we’re still not talking. Not for lack of me trying, though!

I mean, I keep texting her, about once a day or so, but she never responds. And, as I’m sure you’ve seen, whenever I try to approach her at the DEO or whatever, she just walks in the other direction.”

Nia frowned, saddened to hear that there was still bad blood between the two Kryptonians.

“Have you tried talking to Sam?”

“Well…a little. She’s remaining pretty tight-lipped, though. The most she’s said, certainly about this, is that she’s trying to let Reign do this on her own terms.”

“Well, maybe, she’s going to apologise and talk to you again, she’s just…waiting, I guess,” Nia suggests.

“But why?!”

“I mean, she’s always been a bit mysterious, maybe this is just, no different, you know?” Nia returns.

Kara sighs, and aggressively plunges her spoon into her ice cream.

“I guess.”

“So…what’d she say, anyway? I mean, I think it affected you, but it also seems like you’ve already forgiven her?”

“Well, she’d been trying to use dating apps, but without any alter ego – just as Reign. I voiced even just a little bit of uneasiness about that, and well, apparently Sam had already torn into her about it.

She then tried to make some digs at me about being inauthentic. She said something about how I wasn’t being open and trying to move forward with Lena, as I should. And then she spoke about how _I may ‘have the balls,’_ but she’s the one who’s being authentic towards others.”

She shook her head as she finished speaking.

As Kara finished Nia moved towards her friend, enveloping her in a hug.

Nia pulled back, sighing.  
“I’m sorry.

Sometimes people surprise you…”

“Yeah, I mean I get that... But I was talking to Alex, and I think it just is like remnant negative energy and such from her programming. I mean, so much of who she is now, is due to work she herself did.”

Kara sighs before continuing.

“I mean, that’s why I’ve moved on. I don’t believe that that’s indicative of who she really is. But! I mean, I’ve tried to tell _her_ that, and how I want to still be there for her, and such, but she’s just…giving me radio silence.

Anyway…”

Kara looks back over to Nia and sees Nia giving her a look full of concern.

“You know even if the conclusion you’ve come to is true, and you want to support Reign, you can still let yourself be hurt by the hurtful things she said?”

Kara’s eyes go wide for a second.

“I mean, I guess… Like I told Alex though, I-I’ve had worse. Even if not really from her, I have had worse, and more than just once…”

Nia just shakes her head sadly.

“That doesn’t make it any better, or ok, you know.”

“I guess.”

Kara pauses before finding a new burst of energy.

“I mean, in a way, I _wish_ I felt comfortable enough to talk to her more about it. I mean, I kinda want to be able to vent to _her_ about, well, among other things, for example – having to shave my legs so often, and to the extent that I have to, and well, the _way_ that I have to! (With laser vision)”

She added the last part after seeing Nia’s confused expression.

“I mean it’s not exactly easy, and sometimes it really feels silly that I even complain about it, but…but it _isn’t_ easy, and what else am I supposed to do?

I mean, gender role expression was less rigid on Krypton than here – but, whatever, that aside… I mean, if I’m not doing it because I’m trying to avoid looks and comments from others, I’m doing it to avoid all that from me, inside.

Like, heck, I’m a trans woman who’s known that’s who I am for quite some time, but it feels like as I get older, that voice in my head gets stronger – that voice, I don’t know, of _doubt_ , telling me I’m not really a woman because I’m not doing xyz, or not doing xyz the _‘right’_ way…

Which, altogether is silly, it seems, as I should be able to live life as the woman, I know myself to be, without stupid _‘concerns,’_ from others, or even my own inner voices!”

Nia could see how worked up her friend had gotten and was getting, and so tried to reassure.

“Hey, I know what you mean. I mean, you know, to an extent. The dysphoria struggle, though unique to everyone, _is real_.”

Kara smiled appreciatively at her at that.

“Thanks. I mean… Well, I mean, I guess, at least part of what I mean – no offence Nia – is that I just wish there was another trans Kryptonian that I could share and bond with, who would understand a bit more what is going on.”

Nia nodded in understanding.

“I get you. I can understand wanting that.”

Kara, in the hopes then, of heading towards a lighter topic of conversation, while bouncing up and down with another new burst of energy, said, “Enough about me. Have you been seeing anyone recently?”

Nia, feeling a bit of emotional whiplash, responded dumbly, “Like on a date?”

“Yes!! Like on a date! Have you been seeing anyone… _like on a date_?”

Now it was Nia’s turn to shrink inward some – causing Kara to do the same in turn.

Kara had hoped this topic would be lighter, but, as she thought more on it…she should have known better.

Dating was never a simple topic for women like them, she knew.

Kara sighed and practically murmured out – “Sorry, bad topic idea. What about Netflix? Seen anything good recently?”

Nia sat there, staring ahead blankly for a minute.

When she snapped out of it, she sighed and said, “No, it’s fine.

I have gone on a few dates recently, none of them ending all that great.”  
  


She shook her head lightly as she continued, “Yeah, I mean probably about 4 dates in the space of 2 weeks…

But yeah…I don’t think I’ll be seeing any of them again.

I guess, the first one was the best…”

She laughed throatily.

“Yeah, I guess they all got progressively worse…just my luck, eh?”

Now it was Kara’s turn to reach over and give her friend a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Kara whispered into the hug.

“Thanks.

I may still try to text Maimiti again. She was fun, just…I don’t know…I think a bit distracted.  
I should at least give her another chance. The others…well, let’s just say there’s no chance of that happening.”

She laughed at herself then – a much lighter tone this time.

Kara smiled at that. She was glad at least one of Nia’s dates was…salvageable, so to speak.

“Care to tell me a bit about her?”

Nia smiled.

“Sure. She’s just come from spending some time in LA, though she’s from Tahiti. She studied design at UCLA over the last while, specifically before coming here. She’s kind if a bit…brusque.”

Nia laughed at her vocabulary choice. Her OED Word of the Day emails were paying off for her, she thought to herself.

“She also likes to hide it, but she’s pretty geeky.

Oh!”

She paused to laugh brightly.

“She also loves superheroes. Both fictional and otherwise.”

Then Kara turned faux-serious – “Ok, but what are her thoughts on Dreamer? I don’t think it’s all that ethical to date a fangirl…”

“Wait,” Nia tried to turn the tables as a laugh threatened to come forth from her, “doesn’t Lena have a thing for Supergirl?”

“Actually, Lena’s had issues with Supergirl more than once…” Kara returned.

“Oh.” Nia uttered, realising her blow to Kara had backfired somewhat.

“But she still has a thing for _you_ , Kara Danvers, though!” Nia quickly added teasingly.

Kara sighed and acquiesced, “Fine – but this is about you!”

Nia chuckled.

“Sure, Kara. But there’s not much more to tell. With each of them, well, especially some of them, I was, well, kinda hoping to _get some_ , you know… But no such luck. By the end of the night, with each of them, it was me and my partner – my Hitachi.”

She laughed half-heartedly at herself, then.

She looked back over to Kara to find her looking rather uncomfortable.

Though stumbling some over her words, Nia tried to discern what was wrong. “Kara…you ok? Did I say something wrong?

I know we don’t really talk about…you know…masturbation, but…

She finished by trying to tease again, as she often did, “Don’t tell me you never do it yourself?”

Kara shifted awkwardly in her spot on the couch.

Eventually, Kara spoke up.

“Sorry.

I mean, yeah, it was bringing up _that_ that made me uncomfortable, but…not because I don’t do it…”

She added in a barely discernible murmur, “Well, I don’t do it often, but…”

After a brief pause more, she continued, “I guess, partly, I’m just envious, you know…you mentioned using a Magic Wand…”

She sighed quickly.

“I still haven’t had my gender surgeries, you know…?

So, yeah, partly I’m just envious, but also partly that just reminds me of all the feels I have and the dysphoria, whenever I _do_ …you know….”

“Masturbate?” Nia supplies.

Kara pauses for a second, catching her breath, before nodding and quickly letting out another “Sorry.”

Nia looks at her, sadness and understanding evident in her expression.

“Hey, you don’t have to be sorry. I’m sorry for bringing it up, and in the way I did.”

She pauses before proceeding – “I take it you’re wanting to have such surgeries, though – do you have a plan for that?”

Kara sighed.

“It’s still a work in progress. The thing is that it would probably be done at the DEO, like under red sun lamps and such, but my understanding is that the DEO doesn’t really have anyone who specialises in that type of surgery. Alex is trying to covertly work on that, but it’s apparently more than a little difficult.”

She pauses and scratches at the back of her head.

“I mean, I’ve thought about just having Kelex do it for me at the Fortress, but I waffle over how much I trust it over doing something like that.”

Nia nodded her head in understanding.

“So, yeah,” Kara continued, her voice heavy, “for now, when it comes to _that_ , I’m left doing it in this way…with a penis… And I mean, even with my hormones, I still feel sometimes such an urge, that I feel like…doing _that_ …will help, and well, it causes a release, sure, but I also feel such shame and disgust around the process and…I don’t know…whenever I do, _do it_ , it’s like it throws me off for the rest of the day, too…which is, you know, annoying…”

Nia shook her head sadly. This train of thought Kara was expressing was all too familiar to her, even if it had been a while since she had felt it.

“I get that. Before I got my surgeries, I would have, and did talk a similar talk.

I’m sorry.

Would the DEO cover the surgeries for you, though?”

Kara’s face lit up significantly at that, able to say, “Yeah! I mean, Alex sounded pretty certain that would be the case the last we discussed it.”

And so, Nia let a smile come over her own face at that.

She was glad her friend didn’t feel completely hopeless regarding this topic.

They chatted for a little while longer, before Kara’s phone started going off – startling the both of them.

“Hey Alex – what’s up? I thought you were with Kelly…?”

“Hey, Kar. Well, _something_ came up… I take it you haven’t seen the news?”

“Um…no…I’ve just been sitting, chatting with Nia.”

As she finished speaking, she turned back to Nia, handing her the remote to the tv, whispering, “Channel 1500 please?”

As Nia got the tv on, and turned it to that channel, Kara explained to Alex that the news would be on shortly.

And then – there it was.

If the fear-inducing scene wasn’t clear enough by the footage they were playing on loop, the chyron spelled it right out – “SUPERGIRL ATTACKS WH; PREZ SAFE”

Kara looked upon the scene in horror.

She could barely make out Nia gasp beside her.

She barely registered Alex trying to talk to her still, on the phone.

Eventually, after several minutes, Kara snapped out of it.

She returned her attention to her phone, and coldly (though Alex could still hear some fear in her voice), said to Alex – “What are we going to do? Did I do this, Alex?”

She could hear Alex sigh on the other end, before saying, “Can you and Nia come in and then we’ll talk? And, maybe I don’t need to say it, but best to come in in your civvies.”

“Ok.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earlier that same evening, at the Arias’ apartment…_

Sam paced, anxiously, the length of her apartment.

She’d been doing this for some time now.

Reign, for her part, had been busy with her own business, psyching herself up to finally speak again to Kara – beginning by apologising.

Just as Reign was about to ask Sam for control, so she could text (or call – she wasn’t sure yet which) Kara, she came to recognise Sam’s current state.

_“Umm…Samantha…are you…alright?”_

“Long time no see, Reign! Do I _look_ alright, to you?!”

_“Umm…no?”_

“Because I’m _not_ okay!”

She sighs heavily.

_“…Does this have anything to do with your lunch with Ms. Jensen?”_

Sam moves towards the couch and sits…or more aptly, falls, upon the couch.

She sighs again, shaking her head.

“Yeah…”

She can hear Reign sigh, as well, in her head.

In that moment, Ruby walks into the kitchen, aiming to grab a glass of water.

She’s making a beeline for the fridge and the glasses cupboard, when she stops and backtracks.

“Mom?”

Sam turns and looks at her, smiling, though it doesn’t reach her face.

“Yes, Rubes?”

“Are you and Rey okay?”

“Of course. I’ve just had a long day, that’s all.”

“Um…okay… it’s just that I’ve heard you pacing and talking aloud for, like, the past hour…”

Sam sighed, but gave no response or defence.

“O-kay…” Ruby finished, as she turned back to finish her task.

Once Ruby was gone, Sam began to pace again.

_“Samantha! Enough with the pacing – even Ruby’s noticing, obviously. Talk to me!”_

“Fine!”

Sam went back to the couch and fell into her and Reign’s shared mindscape.

Upon doing so, Sam quickly found a bench, sat down, and shrunk herself down, hugging her shoulders.

Reign quickly joined her and gave her a small hug.

“Alright now, Sammy – what’s the story? Though I do have an idea…”

Sam raised an eyebrow at her, wordlessly asking for more than just that from her mindmate.

And so, Reign began explaining – “Well, it appears, that Olivia’s advances have actually paid off. She has tried many times before, but I have noticed that they never worked on you. I tried to pay this no mind. However, as I say – this time, it appears, something’s different.”

Sam looked back at Reign – gobsmacked.

“Wait – what? You say she’s _been_ hitting on me…?”

Reign looked at her curiously.

“Well, yes. Luckily not when she first came into your life, otherwise even in my…preoccupied state…I would have put a stop to that.

You were hurting and I think she knew at that time the impropriety of that.

However, yes, Samantha…this has been far from the first time she has tried to…hit on you…”

She added, almost as an afterthought, “Such an odd turn of phrase.”

Before Sam could respond, Reign added, “That is what happened, right? I will make sure you’re aware, that I did abide by your wishes when she came into your office, so I don’t know exactly what transpired over your lunch.”

Sam looked down, busy re-examining her many recent interactions with Liv.

She absentmindedly nodded her head.

“Was that a yes, Samantha?”

“Yes, Reign.”

She said this in an exasperated tone that only seemed to grow.

“Yes, and that would explain why she was as frustrated as she was when I shoved off her advance at lunch. Ugh! I’ve been so blind.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, Reign?”

“Well, I had assumed, based on your behaviour the rest of the day, and even when Olivia had first walked in, that…that you were attracted to her.

But I see now that I must have been wrong.”

“I never said that Reign,” Sam quietly mutters.

“But – you – you said, you shoved off her advance at lunch?”

“Because I was nervous, Reign! And well, I guess I went on autopilot, doing the same thing I’ve _apparently_ , done many times before!”

“So, you do like her?”

“Yes! Yes, Reign – I like her! How could you not? Have you seen her?”

Reign turns away as she blushes. She gathers herself, before turning back, proclaiming “This is about you now…not me.”

They both sit there, for a moment, before Reign continues with – “So. We’ve established that you like her, well I’m pretty sure, you both like each other…

What are you going to do about it?”

Sam looked back down, nervously.

“Well…I don’t know, Reign!! There’s a reason I don’t date. My life is complicated! I’ve got you, Ruby, not to mention I know several other superheroes…”

She let out a frustrated sigh.

Reign moved closer to Sam.

“But Olivia’s different, isn’t she, Samantha?

She already knows about me and Ruby, for example.”

“I guess…

I mean, you’re not wrong…”

“Here, Sammy, why don’t you text her – maybe even arrange a first date.

Soon enough, you can talk to Ruby about her – I know you’re worrying about what Ruby will think.”

Sam took a few deep breaths, collecting herself.

She then surprised Reign by giving her a tight hug.

  
“Thanks, Reigny.”

Soon after, Sam re-emerged from the shared mindscape, and immediately moved to grab her phone.

However, instead she found herself falling towards the floor, quickly grabbing the couch to steady herself, having forgotten how dizzy she could get after a prolonged time in the mindscape.

Once her phone was in her hand, she pulled up her texting conversation with Liv.

They had texted before, but in a somewhat perfunctory fashion, most of their deep conversations were held either in person or over the phone.

She sat there on one of the barstools at the kitchen, just staring at her phone.

Sure, she had let Reign convince her to text Liv, but…well…how to start?

Should she start simple?

Should she begin friendly as usual?

Or…

Should she be more forward?

Should she be more direct and to the point?

After several minutes of fretting, she had an idea…

SAM:

Hey

It didn’t take long for a response to come in.

LIV:

Hello Sam

Sam frowned. This greeting wasn’t _too_ far off from their usual texting, but it did feel a bit more formal.

Was Liv trying to distance herself from her now, Sam thought, worriedly.

And so, with that in mind, Sam thought she had to lay her cards on the table. Show Liv what was really going on.

SAM:

Can I call you?

LIV:

Ok

Sam braced herself and took a deep breath, before hitting the call button.

Immediately, Liv spoke, “Sam, I’m sorry for earlier at lunch. I was way out of line and –” Liv cut herself off with a sigh.

Sam hmm-ed in response. Obviously, this had been troubling Liv the rest of the day.

Sam took another deep breath before speaking, trying to have her own sultriest voice on hand.

“You know, Liv, if you’re in need of some _discipline_ , I do believe that can be arranged.”

There was a pause on the line. Both women collecting themselves, following Sam’s statement.

“Sam – are you drunk?” Liv asked with an audible air of nervousness.

“What? No.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No.”

Sam sighed quickly.

“I’m sorry if it hadn’t been clear before – it was really only made clear to _me_ , quite recently…

I like you, Liv.

I just…I thought I would reciprocate your advance from lunch with one of my own, so to speak.”

“Wow…I’ve tried to…grab your attention so many times before, without success…

What changed, Sam?”

Sam laughed lightly.

“Well, truthfully, I didn’t even recognise your previous advances as that, advances, until well, now. Reign helped with that. Apparently, she knew you’d been hitting on me for a while…

But as for what changed – sincerely, I’m not quite sure. It might be the fact that Reign’s been wanting to seek a relationship for herself recently, but really, I think it was the fact that I saw you walk in with lunch today, looking the most radiant and stunning I’ve ever seen. And not only that, but you were the one to seek me out after us not having seen each other for weeks…

I don’t know – you walked in and it was like everything shifted for me.”

Liv sat on the other end of the line – stunned.

She had been ready to, as much as she hadn’t wanted to, to give up on trying to be more than friends with Sam.

But – but now this happens…

Soon, Liv spoke again – “So. How serious were you about your offer, dear Sammy?”

They ended up staying on the phone for hours.

They caught up on the last few weeks, chatted about this, that, and everything, and teased each other relentlessly.

At one point, hours having already passed, during a brief lull in the conversation, Sam noticed the time, but nevertheless just sighed contentedly.

Liv “hmm-ed” contentedly herself, in response.

However, she abruptly stopped and let out a “Oh my god…”

Sam, immediately much more alert, asked her friend, “What happened?”

Liv, still sounding shocked, managed to get out – “I’ve texted you a screenshot of the CNN News Alert I just got…you-you’ll understand my reaction once you see it.”

Sam hurried to pull open the image and gasped loudly when she did.

CNN BREAKING NEWS

SUPERGIRL ATTACKS THE WHITE HOUSE.

PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SAFELY EVACUATED.

This is a developing story…

Luckily, she was still sitting down, so her phone, when she dropped it, just fell lightly on the countertop.

“Liv…I’m sorry I’m going to have to go…”

“Of course. Don’t worry about it. Go let Reign be the hero!”

Seconds after disconnecting, she was on the phone again, now with Alex. She quickly gave the reins over to Reign and soon they were off flying to the DEO.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all who are reading this! Hope folks are enjoying. 
> 
> I wish I could make promises regarding when you might see Ch. 5, but sadly, I can’t. 
> 
> As you can tell with the end of both of the scenes at Kara’s and at Sam’s, I’m back to trying to incorporate canon plot into this story.  
> I’m not interested in doing too much of a play-by-play of elements of canon that I *won’t* be changing, though, so you will hear of a lot of references to canon set pieces and action, but I’ll skip over some of the intricacies of some.  
> I’m more interested in the characters, their interactions, and the effects due to changes that I am making to canon.
> 
> Also, Kara’s trans experience (and Nia’s) as told in this story, is influenced by my own, though (obviously?) not superimposed directly from mine.  
> As Nia alludes to in this chapter, every trans experience is unique, and I (nor do my characters) intend to speak for or as all trans people or trans women.
> 
> One last note!  
> The Tahitian character of Maimiti, referenced by Nia, is just a little piece of nostalgia of sorts that I wanted to put in my story. I don’t know if I’ll do anything with her, but I used to live in Tahiti when I was younger, and still have such fond memories of then, and wanted to utilize that in some way, I guess, here.
> 
> Oh, and though I've alluded to Brainy and Nia having feelings for each other, they aren't together (at least not yet).

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Chapter 2 is already almost finished. I’ll go ahead and say that it’s composed of flashbacks and is a bit longer than this.
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment if you enjoyed or have questions or whatever!!
> 
> (For those not in the know, kryptonian .info is a great resource especially for Kryptonian language stuff!!)


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